The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on October 5 notified amendments in the Cable Television Networks Rules, thereby providing an operational mechanism for the implementation of decriminalised provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
The Ministry had earlier issued a notification fixing October 3, 2023, as the date from which provisions of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act and entries in the schedule thereto with respect to the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act would come into force.
The amendments are expected to encourage compliance with the Act without the government resorting to harsh punishments and being sensitive to minor or unintended contraventions. The inclusion of advisory, censure, and warnings, in the range of penalties suggested that the focus was on educating and encouraging compliance rather than solely punishing contraventions, said a government release.
The amended provision allows for the use of a range of penalties, which provides flexibility in addressing different types of contraventions. It allows for a more proportional response to the nature, specificity, and severity of the contravention.
The amendment in the rules defines a “designated officer” for imposing penalties. “This streamlines the enforcement process and makes it simple in addition to unburdening the criminal justice system. The amended provision explicitly addresses subsequent contraventions and in addition to the provision for higher penalties, includes the provisions for suspension or cancellation of registration,” it said.
An appeal mechanism has been included to provide individuals or entities an opportunity to challenge penalties or decisions. “This ensures a fair and transparent process and safeguards against potential abuse of power. The definition of common terms in cable industry like ‘platform services’ and ‘local cable operator’ have been defined in the rules for the first time to bring about uniformity in their usages,” said the Ministry.
There are currently over 1,400 multi-system operators registered with the Ministry.
