I&B Ministry
FM Phase III e-auction tomorrow
NEW DELHI: The e-auctions for the second batch of Radio FM Phase III has been put off by a day to 26 October 2016.
According to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, this has been done as “it is informed that some of the prospective bidder(s) are facing technical difficulties for participating in auction”.
A note on the website put up late in the evening said the auction had therefore been postponed by One day and will now start on 26 October 2016 from 9.30 am onwards. Late last week, the Government had 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 Ministry, Entertainment Network (India) Limited of the Times Group tops the list with an earnest money deposit 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 jRs 133 million (Rs 13.3 crore) and 5320 IEP.
Alll the eleven bidders have put in an EMD of less than Rs 130 million (Rs 13 crore).
The Ministry said any assistance in this regard is available on contact helpdesk +91-124- 430 2039 or support@c1eauctions.com.
For the second batch, the Simultaneous Multiple Round Ascending e-auction process will be carried out for allotting the FM channels, conducted over the Internet. Bidders will be able to access the Electronic Auction System to be used for participation in the Auctions using web browsing software: Internet Explorer 11.x, or Mozilla 34.x. The EAS is a designated computer resource for the receiving of electronic records under the provisions of Section 13(2) of the Information Technology Act 2000, as amended from time to time.
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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.
