I&B Ministry
Action taken against 50 channels since 2012 for programme or advertising code violation
NEW DELHI: Action has been taken against three television channels so far in 2015, of which two have been taken without issue of any show cause notice.
Colors was issued an order on 8 January relating to the programme Fear Factor Khatron Ke khiladi – Darr ka Blockbuster following a show cause notice sent initially on 22 May last year.
Lemon TV was issued a warning on 19 January for telecast of programme Khauf Ke 10 Destination.
NTV Telugu News was taken off air for seven days following an order on 19 January for telecast of a song-based programme Cine Colors containing obscene visuals.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told the Rajya Sabha today that apart from these, action was taken 16 times in 2012, 32 times in 2013 and 22 times in 2014 against various channels on violation of Programme and Advertisement code.
Action was taken – including warnings – against 49 channels between 2012 and 2115. This includes nine channels, which figured more than once in the list of actions taken from 2012 onwards.
This includes advisories issued to all channels in 12 cases between 2012 and 2013 against telecast of certain advertisements or to ensure that the Censor Certificate is shown before telecast of a film, avoid unnecessary scenes of road rage and rash driving, reporting on children, comparison of speech of the Prime Minister with the speech of other political leaders on Independence Day 2013, telecasting programmes promoting blind belief, telecast of inflammatory and provocative news/programmes in a sensational manner, and direct telecast of the events round the clock relating to public demonstrations likely to encourage violence and against maintenance of law and order and likely to promote anti-national attitudes.
I&B Ministry
MeitY proposes tighter rules for digital platforms and intermediaries
Fresh amendments aim to formalise government directions and expand content oversight.
MUMBAI: When the rulebook gets an upgrade, even the internet might need to sit up and pay attention because India’s digital regulators are clearly not scrolling idly. India’s technology regulators have proposed a fresh set of amendments to the country’s digital media and intermediary liability framework, seeking to expand oversight of online content and formalise the government’s authority to issue binding directions to platforms.
In a notice issued on 30 March, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) invited public comments on changes to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The revisions are described as “clarificatory and procedural” but are clearly aimed at strengthening compliance and enforcement.
At the heart of the proposal is a significant shift in how intermediaries, including social media platforms, respond to government advisories. A newly inserted provision would make compliance with official “clarifications, advisories, directions, standard operating procedures and guidelines” a formal part of the due diligence obligations required for platforms to retain legal immunity under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. This change effectively elevates government communications from guidance to enforceable obligations, tightening the regulatory loop between the state and digital platforms.
The amendments also expand the scope of content oversight under Part III of the rules, which governs digital media ethics. The proposed revisions clarify that the code will apply not only to publishers but also to intermediaries hosting news and current affairs content uploaded by users. This could bring user-generated news content more directly within the ambit of regulatory scrutiny, a move likely to raise questions about platform liability and editorial responsibility.
Further, the government has proposed broadening the mandate of the Inter-Departmental Committee, a key oversight body. The committee would no longer be limited to adjudicating complaints but could also take up matters referred directly by the ministry. This shift signals a more proactive regulatory posture, allowing authorities to initiate reviews without waiting for formal grievances.
The draft builds on an already expansive framework. The existing IT Rules impose detailed due diligence requirements on intermediaries, including obligations to remove unlawful content within tight timelines, maintain grievance redressal systems, and ensure traceability in certain cases. Recent amendments have also introduced provisions addressing synthetically generated content, requiring platforms to label such material and deploy technical measures to prevent misuse.
Officials framed the latest proposals as necessary to ensure an “Open, Safe, Trusted and Accountable Internet,” while improving “legal certainty” and the enforceability of regulatory directions.
Stakeholders have been invited to submit feedback by 14 April, setting the stage for what could become another consequential evolution in India’s digital governance regime.
In the fast-moving world of online content, these tweaks suggest the government is keen to keep the guardrails firmly in place – because when the internet grows wilder, even regulators feel the need to hit refresh on the rulebook.
