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Pay channels go on blink in Mumbai; BJP’s Somaiya filing PIL against MSOs broadcasters at 2:30 pm
MUMBAI: At the stroke of midnight (give or take a few minutes) viewers settling down for some late night movie action across Mumbai and Thane were left staring at blank TV screens. All pay channels were shut down in a simulcast move carried out by the cable fraternity.
The reason for the 24-hour shutdown: Cable operators were making a point that the recent hikes in subscription rates, around which consumers have been up in arms against MSOs as well, should be squarely blamed on broadcasting companies.
The action, endorsed by all leading MSOs and cable operators, came hours ahead of a public interest petition that BJP MP Kirit Somaiya is to move in the Mumbai high court against both cable ops and broadcasters over the recent hikes in rates. Somaiya’s PIL is scheduled to be placed before the high court at 2:30 pm today, according to his press secretary.
Meanwhile, the Press Trust of India quoted Maharashtra Cable Consumers’ Action Committee spokesman Sudhakar Velankar as blaming “multi-national broadcasting companies for the sudden hike in cable television rates.”
He blamed both the Centre and the state government for “failing to rein in broadcasting MNCs.”
Velankar strongly supported the cable operators move to blank “pay channels” for a day but said they are fighting for their cause and “consumers fight will continue”.
Some cable operators have meanwhile hit out at Somaiya. WIN cable distributors Suvarn Amonkar and Sadanand Kadam said, “It is shame that the BJP MP, who has filed a petition in the high court, has made the Union government a respondent”.
“If Somaiya, who belongs to the ruling BJP, cannot give justice to common customers, then he has no right to continue in his post”, PTI quoted INCableNet distributor Ganesh Nayadu as saying in a statement.
The cable ops, meanwhile have got support from an unexpected quarter. Consumer Guidance Society of India president Anand Patwardhan, who has taken up cudgels against cable ops in the past, is this time with them on the issue of pay channels airing advertisements.
MSOs have said there should be a limit to the amount of commercial time broadcasters can have in a day on pay channels. A figure that has been mentioned is that out of total 1400-odd minutes of programming a channel has in a day, the limit of commercial airtime (excluding in-house promos) should be capped at 0.5 per cent.
Rationale: if a consumer is paying, for example, Rs 50 for a premium movie channel, then he should not be irritated by ads.
Patwardhan has reportedly quoted a 1956 United Nations Convention ruling (?), which purportedly says that a channel cannot be termed a pay channel if commercials are on it.
All this action comes just as the government has warned that the deadline for CAS rollout in the four metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, will have to be adhered to come what may.
The question really is if consumers are saying that cable rates cannot be above Rs 150 a month, how are operators going to extract the Rs 6000 or so for a digital box or the Rs 2,500 for an analogue box that will be required to be paid by each pay TV subscriber?
Expect the battle lines to get even more sharply drawn out as the 14 July deadline draws nearer.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
