Lok Sabha Question No. 1487 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-26
Subject: Telecast of Vulgar Programme
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: KAUSHAL KISHORE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1487 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26/07/2018

## TELECAST OF VULGAR PROGRAMME

## 1487.  SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that a vulgar programme under the name 'AIB' on the lines of foreign programmes was  telecast by Bollywood actors  some years ago, which is still on You Tube;
- (b) If so, the details thereof along with the action taken thereon;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure that such type of vulgar and obscene programmes are banned in future in view of culture and civilization of the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING [COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

- (a) & (b): The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), a self-regulatory body of Non-News &  Current  Affairs  TV  channels,  has  set  up  Broadcasting  Content  Complaints  Council (BCCC) to examine the complaints relating to content of television programmes. BCCC has informed that the programme was not telecast on any television channel. This show was held at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Stadium in Mumbai on 20 th December, 2014 and was subsequently uploaded on You Tube on 28 th January, 2015. The You Tube link of the programme  was  said  to  have  been  removed  on  3 rd February  2015  by  the  show's producers.
- (c): As per existing regulatory framework, all programmes and advertisements telecast on private satellite TV channels and transmitted/re-transmitted through the Cable TV network are  required  to  adhere  to  the  Programme  and  Advertising  Codes  prescribed  under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Cable Television Network Rules, 1994 framed thereunder.  The Act does not provide for pre-censorship of any programme and    advertisement    telecast   on   such   TV  channels.  However, it   prescribes that all Contt…….2/-

-2- programmes and advertisements telecast on such TV channels should be in conformity with the prescribed Programme Code and Advertising Code enshrined in the said Act and the  rules  framed  thereunder,  which  contain  a  wide  range  of  parameters  to  regulate programmes and advertisements including vulgar and indecent content on TV channels.

The Ministry has set up Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) to monitor the content telecast on private TV channels with reference to the violation of Programme and Advertising  Codes.  An  Inter-Ministerial  Committee  (IMC)  has  also  been  set  up  in  the Ministry  to  take  cognizance  suo-motu  or  look  into  the  specific  complaints  against  the violation  of  Programme  and  Advertising  Codes.  The  IMC  has  representatives  from  the Ministries of Home  Affairs, Defence, External Affairs, Law, Women  and Child Development,  Health  &  Family  Welfare,  Consumer  Affairs,  Information  &  Broadcasting and a representative from the industry in Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). The IMC meets periodically and recommends action in respect of violation of Programme and Advertising  Codes  by  private  TV  channels . Apart  from  this,  the  Ministry  has  also issued directions to States to set up District level and State level Monitoring Committees to monitor content telecast on cable TV channels.

BCCC  has  issued  an  Advisory  on  27 th December  2012  with  regard  to  comedy shows  aired  on  various  non-news  general  entertainment  TV  channels.  The  same  is available on Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) website i.e. www.ibfindia.com .

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) has informed that the Information  Technology  Act  2000  has  provisions  for  dealing  with  obscene  content  in electronic form.  Sections  66E,  67, 67A and 67B of the Act provides punishment in the form of imprisonment and fine for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

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