PRESS RELEASE: “T. Venkattram Reddy, president, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), strongly condemns the direction issued vide a circular dated 15 December 2009 by the deputy general manager (P&E) of the Kerala State Co-operative Bank Limited, Kerala, to all senior managers of the bank directing the branch offices of the bank to stop subscription of the Malayalam daily being subscribed and make available Deshabhimani daily, a Malayalam daily published by a major political party, which is in power in Kerala, at their offices.
“This is in gross violation of the spirit of the constitutional provisions and a direct threat to the freedom of the press. It is clearly a restriction imposed by a government bank to curtail circulation and tantamount to promoting and marketing of a newspaper published by a political party in power.
“Freedom of the press cannot be curtailed by administrative guidance or instructions, which clearly lack the sanction of law.”
IJR 
Yes they can, but when the newspaper which will replace existing paper, is the mouthpiece of the party in power, we need to be suspicious of their intentions.