Lok Sabha Question No. 4195 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Advertising Standards Council of India
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4195 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18/03/2026

## ADVERTISING STANDARDS COUNCIL OF INDIA

## 4195. SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

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

- (a) whether the Government has reviewed the increasing number of misleading, exaggerated and  socially  objectionable  advertisements  across  television,  digital  and  social  media platforms and if so, the details thereof along with action taken thereon;
- (b) whether  a  statutory  mechanism  exists  to  pre-screen  or  censor  advertisements  affecting public morality, health claims and consumer interests and if so, the regulatory framework thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  coordination  mechanisms  exist  between  the  Ministry,  Advertising  Standards Council of India (ASCI) and digital platforms to monitor violations and if so, the details along with the enforcement outcomes thereof;
- (d) whether penalties have been imposed on advertisers promoting false medical, financial or educational claims and if so, the details of violations detected and penalties levied, yearwise; and
- (e) whether the  Government  proposes stricter guidelines for influencer and surrogate advertising on online platforms and if so, the details along with timeline for implementation thereof?

## 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(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 hears 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.  To  further  curtail  misleading  advertisements,  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.

For content of Digital News Publisher and OTT platforms and online advertisements, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had issued advisories dated 13.06.2022, 03.10.2022 and 06.04.2023  to  print,  electronic  and  digital  media  to  refrain  from  publishing  advertisements  of online betting platforms or their surrogate products/services.

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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