The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Centre not to take any coercive action against the members of News Broadcasters Association (NBA), which represents several news channels, over non-compliance of the new IT rules.

Justice P B Suresh Kumar also issued notice to the Centre and sought its stand on the plea by NBA which has contended that the new IT Rules give government authorities "excessive powers" to "unreasonably and impermissibly restrict" the freedom of speech and expression of the media.