Lok Sabha Question No. 2571 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-06
Subject: Amendment in Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Rajveer Diler, Ashok Kumar Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2571 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.03.2020)

AMENDMENT  IN  INDECENT  REPRESENTATION  OF  WOMEN (PROHIBITION) ACT, 1986

2571. SHRI RAJVEER DILER:

## SHRI ASHOK KUMAR RAWAT:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether obscenity is being displayed openly in the country and  Doordarshan  Kendras  and  private  channels  are  also involved  in  such  display  of  obscene  content  and  if  so,  the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether  appropriate  steps  are  likely  to  be  taken  by  the Government  including  issuing  suitable directions to the Sensor Board to check  the spreading of obscenity by showing bedroom scenes in the name of the entertainment in films,  T.V.  serials  and  social  media  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is contemplating on amending the Indian  Penal  Code,  the  Indecent  Representation  of  Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 and other related Acts;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the time by  which the amendments are  likely  to  be  made  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor; and
- (e) other  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  check such tendency keeping in view social propriety?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE;  MINISTER  OF  INFORMATION  AND  BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) & (b): All TV channels including Doordarshan are required to conform  to  the  Programme  Code  prescribed  under  the  Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 which, inter-alia, provides that no  programme  should  be  carried  in  the  cable  service  which contains anything obscene and which denigrates women through the depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman, her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent or derogatory to women, or is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals.  The Government has, from time-to-time, issued advisories and warnings to private TV channels who are found to have violated the said Programme Code.

Further,  adequate  provisions  exist  in  Cinematograph  Act,  1952 and Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983 and the guidelines issued thereunder to check obscenity in films.  The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2011 notified under the Information Technology Act, 2000, inter-alia, requires intermediaries  to  observe  due  diligence  while  discharging  their duties  and  shall  inform  the  users  not  to  host,  display,  upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is, inter  alia ,  defamatory,  obscene,  pornographic,  paedophilic  and unlawful in any way. (c)  to  (e):  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  informed  that  there  are adequate provisions under the Indian Penal Code to deal with the cases of indecent activities, including obscenity.   The Indecent Representation  of  Women  (Prohibition)  Act,  1986  provides  for prohibition of indecent representation of women through advertisements and publications, etc. and enables the Government to take punitive action against the defaulters.

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