I&B Ministry
FM P-III auction: EMD, bidders initial eligibility declared
NEW DELHI: Even as the day of the e-auction of the second batch of FM Phase III on 25 October 2016 approaches, the Government has released the earnest money deposit (EMD) by the pre-qualified bidders and the initial eligibility points (IEP) of each of these.
According to a list put up on the website of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Entertainment Network (India) Limited of the Times Group tops the list with an EMD of over Rs 375 million (Rs 37.5 crore) thus gaining 15,000 eligibility points. This is followed by Ushodaya Enterprises Private Limited with around Rs 133.3 million (around Rs 13.33 crore) as EMD,getting 5331 IEP and Kal Radio Limited with EMD of Rs 133 million (Rs 13.3 crore) and 5320 IEP.
All the 11 bidders have put in an EMD of less than Rs 130 million (Rs 13 crore). The list of pre-qualified bidders for e-Auction of the second batch of private FM Radio Phase-III channels:
No. Name of Applicant EMD
Initial Eligibility Points
1 Abhijit Realtors& Infraventures Private Limited Rs
2,58,75,000 1035
2 Dharmik InfomediaPrivate Limited Rs
7,75,000 31
3 EntertainmentNetwork (India) Limited Rs
37,50,00,000 15000
4 Hotel Polo TowersPrivate Limited Rs
1,25,000 5
5 JCL Infra Limited
Rs19,50,000 78
6 Kal Radio Limited
Rs 13,30,00,000 5320
7 Malar PublicationsPrivate Limited Rs
5,26,50,075 2106
8 Purvy BroadcastsPrivate Limited Rs
10,32,500 41
9 Rockstar EIPrivate Limited Rs
1,25,000 5
10 Sambhaav MediaLimited Rs
6,88,50,000 2754
11 South Asia FMLimited Rs
4,40,00,000 1760
12 The Malayala Manorama Company Limited Rs 1,75,50,025
702
13 The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co Ltd Rs 1,76,00,000
704
14 Ushodaya Enterprises Private Limited Rs
13,32,98,950 5331
As stipulated in the notice inviting applications of 20 June 2016, bidders are required to submit their bid for at least one city in the first clock round. Any bidder failing to do so in the first clock round will forfeit its EMD in its entirety. The ministry said any assistance in this regard is available on contact helpdesk +91-124- 430 2039 or support@c1eauctions.com.
The second batch of FM Radio Phase-III channels comprises 266 channels in 92 cities. The channels include 227 channels in 69 fresh cities and 39 channels in 23 existing cities which had remained unsold as there were no bids. As in the first stage, the e-auctions will be conducted by C1 India Private Ltd. A pre-bid conference was held on 11 July 2016, followed by training and then a mock auction earlier this month.
The first payment of 25 per cent of the successful bid amount will be made within five calendar days, and the remaining within 15 calendar days of the close of the auction and notification of successful bidders by the Government.
I&B Ministry
Government proposes scrapping film certification fast-track scheme
Priority route may be dropped to end queue-jumping and restore fairness
NEW DELHI: The government is set to press pause on the fast lane for film certification. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed scrapping the Priority Scheme under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, a move that could end the practice of paying extra to move a film ahead in the queue.
In a public notice issued on 16 February, the ministry invited stakeholder comments on the proposal, with the consultation window open until 17 March.
The Priority Scheme, introduced in 2024, allowed filmmakers to request expedited certification by paying three times the standard examination fee. Under the rules, priority applications could be slotted ahead of regular submissions, effectively reshuffling the order of scrutiny.
What began as a provision for exceptional urgency, the ministry says, has gradually become business as usual. The result has been longer waits for films in the regular queue and concerns about fairness in what is meant to be a statutory, rule-based process.
Officials have flagged the risk of a two-tier system, where producers with deeper pockets could buy speed while smaller or independent filmmakers were left waiting their turn. The proposed amendment aims to remove that imbalance by restoring a single, orderly queue for all applicants.
If approved, the changes would remove the rule that permits priority screening upon payment of higher fees, as well as the provision that allows regional officers to alter the order of examination based on such requests. In effect, every film would move through certification strictly according to its place in line, unless a separate exceptional mechanism is introduced later.
For big-budget producers, the shift may mean factoring in longer lead times before release. Marketing campaigns, festival slots and box office calendars that once relied on a quick certification turnaround may need more careful planning.
Independent filmmakers, on the other hand, could find the playing field a little more level. Without a pay-to-fast-forward option, the queue may become slower for some, but fairer for all.
The government says the move is meant to restore equity, improve predictability and strengthen the integrity of the certification process. Whether removing the fast-track option reduces bottlenecks or simply redistributes the delays will depend on how efficiently the regular pipeline is managed in the months ahead.
