MUMBAI: Following Tehelka's 'Operation Kalank' sting expose of the Gujarat riots, seven news channels have been put off air in Ahmedabad since 26 October.

Ahmedabad District Collector Dhananjay Dwivedi, who is also the District Election Officer, on Friday issued an order to all cable television operators not to telecast the Tehelka expose of the Gujarat riots "Operation Kalank."

As a result, news channels including Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Tez, CNN-IBN, IBN7, NDTV 24X7 and NDTV India are off air since Friday.

The Friday order quoted the cable television network rules and regulations, 1995, clause five, sub-sections 1(C) and 1(E), under which the operators must not telecast any programme that could incite communal hatred or come in the way of maintenance of the law and order.