I&B Ministry
B’cast bill out; convergence in?
NEW DELHI: The ambivalence of the government continues over legislation relating to various broadcast issues. After having professed the need for a broadcast bill, the information and broadcasting ministry, which had been previously reticent to a convergent regime, is doing a rethink.
Ministry sources said that though I&B minister Jaipal Reddy is unlikely to be hurried into taking decisions, he is “warming up” to the idea of reviving the Convergence Communication Bill, which lapsed with the change in political guard in Delhi.
“The minister is increasingly warming up to the idea that instead of bringing in a broadcasting bill, the convergence bill should be re-worked and put up as a proposed piece of legislation in association with the IT and telecom ministry,” an official in the I&B ministry said.
The I&B ministry under Sushma Swaraj and then Ravi Shankar Prasad, during the previous government’s regime, had not been in favour of an omnibus convergence legislation encompassing the sectors of infotech, telecommunication and broadcasting. It had resisted any move by the then telecom ministry to sort out issues pointed out by a parliamentary panel that had studied the Convergence Communication Bill and suggested over 70 amendments.
Since reworking the Convergence Bill is likely to take more time because various turfs have to be protected, an independent regulatory body for the broadcast sector may come about in the near future with the help of an executive order, the government official pointed out, adding that the I&B ministry, in the interim, would continue to have the final word on regulating content on TV and radio channels and on other platforms.
But one thing seems to be sure: Reddy is angling to end Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)’s jurisdiction over cable and broadcast sectors — a responsibility that was thrust on Trai just before last parliamentary elections earlier this year owing to political reasons.
Meanwhile, work on downlinking laws too is continuing and indications from the I&B ministry are that a Cabinet note is likely to be prepared on the issue after the present session of Parliament comes to an end, which, because of Opposition boycotts of proceedings and other turmoil, happens to be today.
“The basic structure for a proposed downlinking law is complete and once the go-ahead comes through, a Cabinet note would be prepared for its consideration,” the ministry official said, however, adding that this too may take some time.
As part of the downlinking law, the government proposes to have a section listing out events of national importance whose telecast rights have to be given to the terrestrial broadcaster, Doordarshan, on a mandatory basis irrespective of the fact who has exclusive rights for those events.
There would also be an arbitration clause for disputes, which has to take place at least two months before an event happens.
Now comes the big question: if the regulatory framework, aided by instigated and even non-instigated cases on various broadcasting issues (like the DTH and porn factor), is unlikely to settle down before end-2004, what would happen to newer technologies and newer players seeking to enter India or expand their existing businesses? What would happen to Tata-Star’s quest for a DTH licence hanging fire at the I&B ministry?
Take a cue from what Reddy informed Parliament earlier this week when quizzed on various issues, including DTH and Tata-Star’s venture: no time frame can be given for processing of such issues.
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.
