Lok Sabha Question No. 2293 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-29
Subject: Unlicensed TV Channels
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR S.R., SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, PRATHAP SIMHA, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, SUDHEER GUPTA, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, GOPALAKRISHNAN CHINNARAJ, R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, CHINTAMAN NAVSHA WANAGA, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION ANDBROADCASING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION D.NO. 2293

## (TO BE ANSWERED ON 29/7/2016)

## UNLICENSED TV CHANNEL

2293.   SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK:

SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

DR. C. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

ADV. CHINTAMAN NAVASHA WANAGA:

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of many unlicensed channels are broadcasting their programmes illegally through cable operators;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  planned  to  mobilize  State  monitoring committees and the social media to keep track of such channels, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether his Ministry has also requested to the Ministry of Home Affairs to keep a track on any such broadcast, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) The other steps taken/being taken by the Government to check the such channels in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTRY  OF  INFORMATION  AND

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN BROADCASTING {COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)}

- (a) & (b): The Cable TV Network (Regulation) Act, 1995, (hereinafter called the Cable Act, 1995) regulates the transmission and re-transmission of TV channels over the  Cable  Networks.  The  Authorized  Officers  (the  District  Magistrates,  the Additional District Magistrates, the Sub-Divisional Magistrates and  the Commissioners of Police within their territorial jurisdiction) under the Act are

empowered to take  action  whenever  violations  of  the  Cable  Act,  1995  are brought  to  notice.    Under  the  Cable  TV  Networks  Rules,  1994  (hereinafter called the Cable Rules, 1994), no cable operator shall carry or include in his cable service any TV broadcast or channel, which has not been registered by the Central Government for being viewed within the territory of India.

Ministry  of  Information  and  Broadcasting  is  issuing  permission  to  the satellite channels for uplinking and downlinking in India. Only these permitted satellite channels can be transmitted by cable operators on their network.

In addition, the cable operators can also transmit local (ground based) channels  as  per  the  Cable  Act.  But,  the  registration  procedure  for  these channels is not defined in the Act. Ministry had sent a reference to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in this connection. Recommendations of TRAI have been received.

- (c): This Ministry has issued advisories from time to time to the State Governments  and  Union  Territories  to  constitute  State  and  District  Level Monitoring Committees for recommending action against broadcast content being carried by the cable operators which are in violation of the Program Code and the Advertisement Code under the Cable Act, 1995.

Further, the Ministry has also made appeal on Social Media platform to the general public to report cases of  transmission  of unpermitted satellite TV channels  by  cable  operators.  Five  such  complaints  were  received.  These were forwarded to the respective District Collectors for necessary action by the Authorized Officers.

Recently, the following five complaints have also been received in the Ministry on the carriage of un-permitted satellite TV channels:

- i) Complaint dated 09.07.2016 from Shri T.G. Venkatesh, MP (RS) against Seema Communication  Pvt.  Ltd.  for  telecasting  non  permitted  satellite channel  'Peace  TV'  in  Kurnool  District.  The  complaint  was  sent  to  the District Collector, Kurnool on 10.07.2016. He carried out instruction and found that the operator was actually carrying the non-permitted channel. Office of Seema Communication Pvt. Ltd. has been sealed and equipment seized and FIR lodged against him by the Authorized officer.
2. ii) Complaint  dated  12.07.2016  from  Shri  Vinay  Patil  against  Yashodeep Cable Network for transmission of Peace TV in Aurangabad District. The complaint was sent to District Collector, Aurangabad on 13.07.2016 for further necessary action. It has been reported that after inspection, the deputy commissioner found that this channel was not being carried out by the M/s Yashodeep Cable Network.
3. iii)  Complaint  dated  07.07.2016  from  Shri  Kuldeep  Kumar  Sahani  against Venkata Sai Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. for illegal transmission of Peace TV in  Nizamabad  District.  The  complaint  was  sent  to  District  Collector, Nizamabad on 22.07.2016 for further necessary action by the Authorized Officer.
4. iv)  Complaint dated 09.07.2016 from Shri A. Thirupathi Reddy for transmission of un-authorized 'Peace TV' Channel by Sri Sai

Communications  in      Karimnagar  District.  The  complaint  was  sent  to District Collector, Karimnagar on 22.07.2016 for further necessary action by the Authorized Officer.

- v)  Complaint  dated  08.07.2016  from  Nandyal  Digital  TV  Communications against Siti Vision Digital Media Pvt. Ltd. for illegal transmission of Peace TV  in  Kurnool  District.  The  complaint  was  sent  to  District  Collector, Kurnool  on  22.07.2016  for  further  necessary  action  by  the  Authorized Officer.
2. d): No, Sir.
3. (e): This Ministry on 8 th  July,2016 had issued advisories to the Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs Governments, the District Collectors and the MSOs/LCOs that no un-permitted satellite channel should be carried by the cable operators in the country   and to take action against the defaulters as per the provisions in the Cable Act.

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