Lok Sabha Question No. 1902 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-31
Subject: Ban on TV Programmes
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: ANOOP MISHRA

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1902**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 31/07/2015**

**BAN ON TV PROGRAMMES**

**1902. 	SHRI ANOOP MISHRA:**

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

(a) 	whether the Government has banned the telecasting of  any television programme during the last three years and the current year;

(b) 	if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(c) 	the steps being taken by the Government to establish reasonable balance between decency and freedom of expression in telecasting of programmes in the country?

**ANSWER**

**THE MINISTER OF FINANCE; MINISTER OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING     (SHRI ARUN JAITLEY)**

(a) to (c): The Constitution through Article 19 (2) allows State to impose reasonable restrictions on Freedom of Speech and Expression on certain grounds such as the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency, morality etc.  through enactment of Law. This spirit of the Constitution is reflected in the Cable  Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, which while upholding the freedom of speech in Electronic Media imposes reasonable restrictions in public interest.         Section 5 of the Programme Code provides that “No person shall transmit or re-transmit through a cable service any programme, unless such programme is in conformity with the prescribed programme code”. Accordingly, Programme Code has been notified through the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 under Rule 6.

While there is no provision of pre-censorship of the content telecast on such TV channels, all programmes telecast on such TV channels are required to adhere to the Programme Code prescribed under the said Act and the rules framed thereunder.  Action is taken whenever any violation of the said code is noticed or brought to the notice of the Ministry.

In the last three years and current year Government took action in 86 cases out of which in 20 cases the TV channels were asked to prohibit transmission for specific period of time ranging from 1 day to 30 days. A list thereof is annexed at **Annexure** . In other cases Ministry has issued specific warnings or advisories to channels to comply with the Programme/Advertising Codes or directed them to scroll apologies on their channel.

However, as required, TV channels are also issued general advisories on airing of programmes that may incite violence or create law and order problem under certain circumstances.

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**ANNEXURE**

**ANNEXURE AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY  TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1902 FOR ANSWER ON 31.07.2015**

**Action Taken for banning Private TV channels for violation of programme code in last three years and current year.**

**Year – 2012**

|   **Sl. No.** | **Name of the Channel**   | **Reason for Show Cause Notice**                                                  | **Details of action taken**                                                                               |
|---------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|             1 | SS TV                     | Telecast of programme titled 'Sizzling Hits'  showing  obscene and vulgar content | An Order 08.02.2012 was issued to the channel prohibiting the transmission of the channel for seven days. |

**Year – 2013**

|   **Sl. No.** | **Name of the Channel**   | **Reason for Show Cause Notice**                                                                                                                                                                                    | **Details of action taken**                                                                                              |
|---------------|---------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|             2 | Enterr 10                 | Telecast of Hindi feature film 'Musafir' , 'Plan'  and 'Ashiq Banaya Apnne'-  'A' certified films.                                                                                                                  | An Order dated 08.01.2013 was issued to the channel prohibiting  the transmission of the channel for one day .           |
|             3 | Zing                      | Telecast of Hindi feature film "Hawas" - 'A' certified film.                                                                                                                                                        | An Order dated 08.01.2013 was issued to the channel prohibiting  the transmission of the channel for one day .           |
|             4 | Manoranjan TV             | Telecast of Hindi feature film "Topless" - "A' certified film.                                                                                                                                                      | An Order dated 08.01.2013 was issued to the channel prohibiting the transmission of the channel for one day .            |
|             5 | SS TV                     | Telecast of Trailer of the film "Friends with Benefits" which was not certified by CBFC for telecast on TV channels.                                                                                                | An Order dated 08.01.2013 was issued to the channel prohibiting the transmission of the channel for one day .            |
|             6 | FTV                       | Telecast of programme "Desigers in High Definition" on 11.9.11, "Chantellie Lingrie, Paris" on 12.09.11 & "Lingerie" on 15.09.11 and "15th Anniversary-Top Designers" showing obscene and women denigrating content | An Order dated 28.03.2013 was issued to the channel prohibiting the transmission of the channel for 10 days              |
|             7 | Mahuaa                    | Telecast of Hindi feature film 'Aulaad' and 'Ek Aur Kurukshetra' -  'A' certified films.                                                                                                                            | An order dated 25.04.2013 was issued to the channel  prohibiting the transmission of the channel for one day.            |
|             8 | AXN                       | Telecast of Hindi feature film 'Darkness Falls' -  'A' certified film.                                                                                                                                              | An order dated 25.04.2013 was issued to the channel  prohibiting the transmission of the channel for one day.            |
|             9 | Movies Ok                 | Telecast of Hindi feature film 'Dil Jale' -  'A' certified film.                                                                                                                                                    | An order dated 01.05.2013 was issued to the channel  prohibiting the transmission of the channel for one day.            |
|            10 | Comedy Central            | Telecast of programme "Stand Up Club"                                                                                                                                                                               | An order was issued on 17.05.2013 prohibiting the transmission of the channel for 10 days                                |
|            11 | Zoom TV                   | Telecast of Film "Teesri Aankh - 'A' certified film.                                                                                                                                                                | An order dated 01.10.2013 was issued  to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission  for one day                       |
|            12 | ABN Andhra Jyoti          | Telecast of a song based programme on       "Ide Mallea Velavani" containing obscene and women denigrating content                                                                                                  | An order dated 01.10.2013 was issued to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission for seven days.      |
|            13 | Manoranjan TV             | Telecast of 'A' Certified Hindi feature film "Ek Chatur Nar"                                                                                                                                                        | An Order was issued on 17.05.2013 to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of channel for seven days              |
|            14 | BIG CBS LOVE              | Telecast of programme "Excused" containing women denigrating content                                                                                                                                                | An Order was issued on 15.10.2013 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of channel for one day. |
|            15 | UTV Bindass               | Telecast of  a programme "Emotional Atyachaar Season 3" containing obscene content                                                                                                                                  | An Order dated 06.11.2013 was issued to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission  for three days                     |

**Year – 2014**

|   **Sl. No.** | **Name of the Channel**   | **Reason for Show Cause Notice**                                                                           | **Details of action taken**                                                       |
|---------------|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|            16 | WB                        | Telecast of a  "V/UA" certified film "It's a Boy Girl Thing" showing obscene and women denigrating content | An Order dated 16.01.2014 was issued  for taking the channel off air for one day. |

**Year – 2015**

|   **Sl. No.** | **Name of the Channel**   | **Reason for Show Cause Notice**                                                                                  | **Details of action taken**                                                                                               |
|---------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|            17 | NTV                       | Telecast a song-based programme 'Cine Colors'                                                                     | An order dated 19.01.2015 was issued to the channel for taking the channel off air for seven day.                         |
|            18 | Satlon News               | Telecast of News report about a private corporate party organised in a five star hotel on the Pune-Mumbai highway | An order was issued on 27.03.2015 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of  channel for 30 day.  |
|            19 | Jai Hind                  | Telecast of 'A; certified film, titled 'Hai Harithe'                                                              | An order was issued on 07.04.2015 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of  channel for one day. |
|            20 | Aljazeera TV              | Telecast of News report carried wrong graphical map of India repeatedly.                                          | An order was issued on 10.04.2015 to the channel to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of  channel for 5 day.   |

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