I&B Ministry
No CAS Bill discussion due to RS uproar; debate anytime time available
NEW DELHI: The fate of conditional access system is becoming increasingly uncertain – something that was looking highly unlikely about a fortnight back when information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj was pushing full steam for the passage to amendments in the CATV Act in the Upper House of Parliament.
The cable TV network Regulation Amendment Bill 2002, slated to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) today, could not be done today as both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on Monday without transacting any business. Reason: Opposition uproar over the Indian Express expose on the doling out of petrol pump dealerships to ruling party members as well as coalition partners of the government by the petroleum ministry under the alleged directives of the Union petroleum minister Ram Naik. A vociferous Opposition stalled question hour.
As per the latest information available is that the issue will be taken up as soon as the Rajya Sabha is able to find the time to debate the issue. That means that it can even come up tomorrow if the current ruckus going on in Parliament cools down. Something that looks highly at the moment though.
Today’s trouble arose as soon as the House met for the day with a determined Opposition raising anti-government slogans like istifado, istifado and loot liya, loot liya (resign and plundered).
As the uproar continued for 10 minutes, Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha Najma Heptulla adjourned the House for the day.
The Lok Sabha was also adjourned for 15 minutes after it plunged into turmoil over the same issue with an unrelenting Opposition demanding Naik’s resignation.
Government officials told indiantelevision.com this afternoon that it has to be seen when the Bill gets re-listed in the RS now. “If the Opposition continues to stall proceedings of the House over other issues, then the CAS issue may not get discussed at all,” an I&B ministry official indicated.
However, there seems to be unanimity amongst Opposition members of the Rajya Sabha, especially the CPM and the Congress, that the CAS issue needs to be referred to a parliamentary committee to be discussed further as some issues in the Bill need thorough examination.
Nilotpaul Basu of the CPM, a member of RS, in private is understood to have said that their meeting with Swaraj last week was “inconclusive” and that the minister was unable to satisfactorily explain Opposition queries on freedom of media, specially electronic media, and that the government was attempting to muzzle the media in the aftermath of the Gujarat communal violence by bringing in censorship in the form of CAS where the government will decide which free to air channels will be aired in which part of the country.
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI:Â The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
