Lok Sabha Question No. 1865 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Cinematograph (Certification) Rules 2024
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Smt. Jyotsna Charandas Mahant, Shri Murari Lal Meena, Shri Charanjit Singh Channi, Shri Karti P Chidambaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1865 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

## CINEMATOGRAPH (CERTIFICATION) RULES 2024

1865:   SMT. JYOTSNA CHARANDAS MAHANT: SHRI MURARI LAL MEENA: SHRI KARTI P CHIDAMBARAM: SHRI CHARANJIT SINGH CHANNI:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules 2024, the board must meet once in every quarter, whereas the last board meeting was held over six years ago in August 2019;
- (b) if so, whether the Government is aware that the last annual report on the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) website dates back to 2016-17, despite rules requiring the board to publish and submit an annual report to the Ministry and if so, the details and reasons thereof;
- (c) the details of the legal authority under which the board is currently functioning in the light of fact that the CBFC was last reconstituted in 2017 for a three-year term that ended in 2020 and the timeline stipulated for the constitution of the Board;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  an  audit  of  the  financial  expenditures  and certification decisions made by the lapsed board during the period it has functioned without formal reconstitution; and
- (e) the steps taken by the CBFC during the last three years to prevent the dissemination of harmful content in the society?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e):  The CBFC is constituted under Section 3 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, is headed by a Chairperson, and continues to function in accordance with Rule 3 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) conducts its meetings with Board Members online. Since 2017, the certification workflow has been made predominantly digital through the e-Cinepramaan  online  certification  platform,  through  which  submission  of  applications, processing, and approvals is done online. The meetings of Examining and Revising Committees are held as required based on the volume of films submitted, ensuring timely certification.

CBFC certifies films as per the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024 and the guidelines issued thereunder under the categories U, UA with UA marker, A and S, as applicable, and prevents dissemination of harmful content through scrutiny at the certification stage, including directions for excisions or modifications wherever required.

The CBFC submits its annual report to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting every year. This  information  is  incorporated  into  the  Ministry's  consolidated  Annual  Report,  which  is published regularly and made available on the Ministry's website. Further, periodic audits of CBFC are conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

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