Lok Sabha Question No. 4202 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Advertisements Targeting Children
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Suresh Kumar Shetkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4202 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18/03/2026

## ADVERTISEMENTS TARGETING CHILDREN

## 4202.  SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR:

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

- (a) whether  complaints  received  from  the  public  regarding  objectionable  advertisements  are resolved  within  a  prescribed  timeframe  and  if  so,  the  disposal  statistics  thereof  and monitoring system adopted;
- (b) whether advertisements targeting children with misleading claims or harmful content are specifically regulated and if so, the safeguards put in place along with enforcement details thereof;
- (c) whether any proposal exists to introduce mandatory disclaimer standards and transparency norms in advertisements across media platforms and if so, the policy details thereof;
- (d) whether repeat offenders among advertising agencies or brands are blacklisted or restricted from broadcasting and if so, the criteria adopted and number of entities penalised; and
- (e) whether the Government plans to establish a stronger statutory  advertisement  regulatory authority to ensure accountability in emerging digital advertising ecosystems and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN)

(a) to (e): As per existing regulatory framework, all advertisements telecast on private satellite TV  channels  are  required  to  adhere  to  the  Advertising  Code  prescribed  under  the  Cable Television  Networks  (Regulation)  Act,  1995  and  rules  framed  thereunder.  The  Advertising Code, inter-alia, provides that:

Rule 7(5): No advertisement shall contain references which are likely to lead the public to infer that the product advertised or any of its ingredients has some special or miraculous or super-natural property or quality, which is difficult of being proved.

Rule 7(7): No advertisement which endangers the safety of children or creates in them any interest  in  unhealthy  practices  or  shows  them  begging  or  in  an  undignified  or  indecent manner shall not be carried in the cable service.

Rule  7(9):  No  advertisement  which  violates  the  Code  for  self-regulation  in  advertising,  as adopted by the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), Mumbai, for public exhibition in India, from time to time, shall be carried in the cable service.

The Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 provide a statutory three tier mechanism for redressal  of  grievances/complaints  of  citizens  relating  to  content  broadcast  by television channels. The three-level complaint redressal structure is as under:

- i. Level I - A self-regulation by broadcasters,
- ii. Level II - Self regulation by the self-regulating bodies of the broadcasters, and
- iii. Level III - Oversight mechanism by the Central Government.

Rule 16 of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 provides that any person aggrieved  by  the  content  of  a  programme  of  a  channel  as  being  not  in  conformity  with  the Advertising Code may file his complaint in writing to the broadcaster. Provided that where such complaint relates to Advertising Code laid down by the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), such complaint may be addressed to the said Council and that Council shall deal with such complaint in accordance with the procedure laid down by it. Provided further that ASCI shall take a decision on the complaint within sixty days of its receipt, and communicate the same to the broadcaster and the complainant.

An Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) has been constituted by the Central Government, which hear complaints regarding violation or contravention of the  Programme  Code  and  the Advertising Code. As per recommendations of the IDC, appropriate action is taken against the private  TV  channels  by  issuance  of  Advisory,  Warning,  Apology  Scroll  and  Off-Air  Orders, when  violation  of  any  provision  of  the  Advertising  Code  is  established.  Ministry  also  issues advisories from time to time to broadcasters for ensuring compliance to the Advertising Code.

In  order  to  further  curtail  misleading  advertisements  and  in  compliance  to  Hon'ble  Supreme Court's Order dated 07.05.2024, this Ministry launched a new feature on Broadcast Seva Portal for TV/Radio advertisements and Press Council of India Portal for print/internet advertisements respectively  for  uploading  of  Self-Declaration  Certificate  (SDC).  The  Ministry  issued  an advisory on 03.07.2024 advising Advertisers/Advertising Agencies to upload an annual SDC for advertisement  related  to  products  and  services  related  to  'Food  &  Health  sectors',  published across various media platforms i.e. print/electronic/internet on the above-mentioned portals.

The  Central  Consumer  Protection  Authority  under  Ministry  of  Consumer  Affairs  has  issued "Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement Rules, 2022" vide notification dated 9th June, 2022 which lays down guidelines for prevention of false or misleading advertisements and making  endorsements  relating  thereto.  Complaints  relating  to  violation  of  the  guidelines, including  false  and  misleading  advertisements,  are  addressed  under  the  Consumer  Protection Act, 2019.

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