News Broadcasting
Cable ops restrained from enforcing more blackouts
MUMBAI: The war between cable operators and consumers has taken an interesting twist with the Consumer Action Network (CAN), a city based consumer group filing a public interest petition in the Mumbai High Court today.
The PIL challenges the validity of the arbitrary hike in the subscription fees made by the cable operators and has asked for a freeze in the rates charged by them.
It is the contention of CAN that after the introduction of CAS, the consumer will get to choose whether he wishes to view a pay channel or not. Also, consumers will be free to confine themselves to the basic tier of free to air channels and will be liable to pay the rates as decided by the central government.
Following the petition, the Mumbai High Court has issued a notice to the central and state governments and directed the cable operators not to disconnect any cable connection in the meantime, a release issued by CAN claims.
The petition came for hearing before division bench comprising chief justice CL Thakkar and Dr Dhananjay Chandrachud.
The petition came for hearing along with another writ petition filed by Cable Operators Association against the arbitrary action on the part of the State Government for recovery of entertainment tax on the connections, which they claim that do not have.
During the course of the hearing, the court came down heavily on the cable operators for the black out conducted by them recently, the release says. The cable operators were called to explain their act which amounted to black mail of the citizens at a time when the World Cup is going on. The court observed that denial of information to the citizens by disconnecting the cable was tantamount to denial of fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
AM Saragi, advocate appeared for the cable operators and government’s advocate including Advocate General of Maharashtra Ghulam Vahanvati was present during the hearing .
As per orders passed now, these petitions will come for hearing after two weeks.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
