I&B Ministry
Don Salem proposes media ban, I&B ministry disposes
MUMBAI: Agreed that the Indian media has become more aggressive compared to yesteryears, but a petition filed by underworld don Abu Salem takes the cake for its sheer incongruity.
Thankfully, the Indian government is making the right noises.
Information and broadcasting ministry today urged a special court to dismiss a petition filed by extradited Salem seeking a media ban on reports about investigations relating to him and his girl friend Monica Bedi.
According to a report filed by the Press Trust of India (PTI), additional solicitor general B A Desai, appearing for the ministry, urged the court to dismiss the petition as the applicant’s lawyers were absent during the hearing of the case.
However, designated TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Act under which people carrying out anti-national activities are tried) judge P D Kode adjourned the matter till 3 December for arguments.
Salem had prayed for an inquiry by I & B secretary into media reports about him and his girl friend which, he said, were “totally baseless”.He also prayed that the inquiry should also find out on what basis such reports were put out.
According to Salems prayer before the court, the respondents (including the government) be directed to impose a total ban on such reports appearing in the media, which talk about investigations being conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI), the PTI report stated.
Salem had pointed out that “objectionable” materials about him appeared in the media such as seizure of fake passports, Monica Bedi helping him in financial deals and bank accounts being sealed. Dismissing these reports as “entirely baseless”, he said this would prejudice the investigations.
Salem was recently extradited from Portugal under inter-governmental agreements and is presently being tried for a host of anti-India activities, including his alleged involvement in serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in 1993 and cricket match fixing.
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.
