I&B Ministry
I&B panel meeting on surrogate ads postponed
NEW DELHI: The meeting of the high-powered government committee mandated to look into the issue of surrogate and objectionable advertisements, was postponed today. Reason: In anticipation that the Cable TV (Networks) Amendment Bill 2002, which will facilitate the implementation of conditional access systems, will be discussed in the Indian Parliament’s Upper House (Rajya Sabha).
Admitting that the Rajya Sabha was yet to take up the CAS issue till the time of posting this story, a senior information and broadcasting ministry official told indiantelevision.com: “The meeting was scheduled for late afternoon, but we postponed it for few days as we were anticipating that the CAS issue will come up in the Rajya Sabha.”
The committee, headed by I&B ministry additional secretary (broadcasting), Anil Baijal, mostly comprises government officials, apart from representatives from some NGOs and the Advertising Council of India.
The official also said that various TV channels have responded in a positive manner to the request of the committee on mostly surrogate liquor ads.
“The idea of this committee is not to browbeat anybody, but to show them the logic behind the panel’s decision on surrogate ads. If liquor and tobacco ads are banned in India, then there is no reason why anybody should flout these rules directly or indirectly,” the official said.
I&B Ministry
India tightens anti-piracy law, blocks sites and Telegram channels
New rules bring jail terms, fines and faster takedowns of illegal content
NEW DELHI: The Government of India has stepped up its fight against film piracy, invoking stricter provisions under the Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023 to crack down on unauthorised recording and distribution.
The law now imposes tougher penalties, including jail terms ranging from three months to three years and fines starting at Rs. 3 lakh, which can go up to 5 per cent of a film’s production cost. The provisions target both illegal recording in cinemas and unauthorised online transmission.
In a fresh enforcement push, authorities have notified the Telegram platform to act against piracy, leading to the identification of 3,142 channels allegedly distributing copyrighted content without permission. In parallel, access to around 800 piracy websites has been blocked through internet service providers.
The action has been taken under the Information Technology Act 2000, which empowers the government to direct intermediaries to remove unlawful content. The framework is further reinforced by the Information Technology Rules 2021, requiring platforms to act swiftly when notified of violations.
An institutional mechanism is also in place, allowing copyright holders and authorised representatives to file complaints through designated nodal officers. Once verified, these complaints trigger takedown notices to intermediaries for disabling access to infringing content.
The update was shared in Parliament by Government of India minister of state information and broadcasting l murugan in response to a query from Parimal Nathwani.
The government’s latest move signals a sharper, more coordinated approach to tackling piracy across both physical and digital channels. For the film industry, it is a step towards protecting revenues, while for viewers, it reinforces the shift towards legitimate content consumption.
