The Home Affairs Ministry may come around to accepting the view of the Law Ministry in the Sun TV row.

Multiple sources said that the Law Ministry, backed by Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi’s advice, may endorse granting security clearance to the Kalanithi Maran-promoted Sun TV. This is the view held by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry as well.

With the Finance and I&B Minister Arun Jaitley back from his US visit, a decision on the fate of Sun TV and its 33 channels was expected today. But the controversies over former IPL Chief Lalit Modi took centre-stage, a source in the know said.

The Attorney-General had opined that the Home Ministry’s stance for security clearance on the basis of economic offences was illegal.

Another senior government official said that the Home Ministry will need to reconcile itself to the view of the Law Ministry and a decision can be expected in the next few days. The I&B Ministry is likely to ask the Home Ministry to give reasons for the latter’s decision. The contention between the two ministries has been whether economic offences can be a reason for denying security clearance.

There are indications that the difference within the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP is also a reason for the confusion over the delay in decision-making. However, a senior BJP leader said there is no such confusion within the party. “It is an administrative decision. The Government is fully capable of taking action. The BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit has not intervened in the issue in any way,” he said.

The Home Affairs Ministry has been denying security clearance on the basis of the ongoing probe against the Marans by the CBI and the ED including in the 2G scam-related Aircel-Maxis case, and the alleged money laundering case.

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