I&B Ministry
Election Commission rejects demand to cancel Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ before Bihar polls
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has rejected a demand by the Congress and its alliance partners seeking a ban on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast on All India Radio slated for 20 September.
The Congress said it could be used to directly influence the outcome of the Bihar Assembly elections. The Commission said it would take action if parts of the programme were found to be in violation of the model code of conduct now in place in Bihar.
A senior official of the Commission said, “No blanket ban can be enforced on the broadcast or Cabinet meetings. But the EC can take cognisance if the Cabinet decision or the content of programme is in violation of the model code of conduct.”
A delegation comprising leaders from the Congress, the Janata Dal (U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal had met the chief Election Commissioner on the issue.
An earlier complaint against the monthly broadcast during the Harayana assembly polls had been rejected after the Commission went through the recording and transcript of the episode.
Meanwhile, Modi has urged people to record voice messages for Mann Ki Baat.
Earlier, people had been encouraged to send in their messages on the mygov platform. People can record their messages in either Hindi or English for Mann Ki Baat on the toll-free number 1800 3000 7800.
“Interesting effort by @mygovindia, which enables you to join Mann Ki Baat programme. I heard some of the voice messages and they were unique. Keep the messages coming. Some will be a part of the programme this Sunday,” Modi tweeted.
While the broadcast is generally on the last Sunday of the month at 11 am, Modi is doing it earlier this month as he has to leave for the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
