High Court
Govt claims law & order worries over CAS implementation
NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: The Indian government continues to be in a bind over conditional access system (CAS) and its implementation in Mumbai and Kolkata with both the cities refusing to toe the Central government line.
Uppermost on the minds of bureaucrats in the information and broadcasting ministry is the issue of law and order, which may go into a tailspin if the Centre pushes ahead with its diktat.
Pointing out that a law and order problem may crop up, with some people (read the Shiv Sena) actively against CAS in Mumbai especially, a senior I&B ministry official said, “We are studying the situation and this would be discussed in the meeting of the chief secretaries (of the states where CAS is being sought ot be implemented) on 15 September.”
The official also said that the Centre cannot push beyond a point on CAS rollout unless the state government ensures no violence or untoward incidents would take place. “For set-top boxes it’s not worth having riots,” the official half-jokingly said. Half-jokingly or otherwise, such alarmist statements do not exactly instil confidence in the government’s ability to push through CAS.
In Mumbai meanwhile, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal (who is also the state home minister in charge of law and order), true to his shoot from the lip style, has said he sees CAS as a serious security threat.
The Press Trust of India quotes Bhujbal as saying, “CAS will enable sending messages to a particular individual and it can pose a danger to the city’s security which is already facing threat from terrorist outfits,” in his communique to I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
The farcical addition to the CAS imbroglio aside, the I&B ministry is also hoping against hope that various CAS-related cases that are pending in the Delhi courts will deliver decisions favourable to the government. This would provide the Central government with a stronger case to “persuade” the state governments with.
Though, it is another story that Delhi was denotified from the CAS rollout map at the behest of the ruling Bharatiya Janata party leaders only on the plea that state elections are round the corner and introduction of CAS would have a negative effect on BJP’s bid to wrest Delhi from the Congress.
What has not received much attention in the media around the denotification however, is that CAS has not just been deferred in Delhi (as is is the general assumption), it is officially and legally off the CAS rollout map. According to a notification dated 31 August amending the 10 July notification setting 1 September as the CAS rollout date, Delhi has been DELETED from its ambit. Therefore, even after the elections are completed in the capital, only if a fresh notification is issued will the capital be part of the CAS rollout plan.
A case against the denotification of Delhi on CAS has been filed by Zee Group cable arm, Siti Cable, and the case is up for hearing on 17 September. The hearing of another case filed by Cable Networks’ Association at the Delhi High Court too, is pending hearing and final disposal.
High Court
Delhi HC blocks illegal IPL 2026 streams, backs JioStar rights
Court orders swift takedowns, expands crackdown on piracy apps
NEW DELHI: In a timely move ahead of the cricketing season, the Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to JioStar India Private Limited, clamping down on illegal streaming of the TATA Indian Premier League 2026.
The court passed ex parte ad interim injunctions in two separate suits, restraining rogue websites and mobile applications from broadcasting IPL matches without authorisation. The tournament is set to begin on 28 March, making the timing of the order particularly significant.
Recognising JioStar’s exclusive digital and broadcast rights for the IPL cycle from 2023 to 2027, the court observed that unauthorised streaming would infringe its statutory and proprietary rights, potentially causing irreparable losses.
In one case, the court directed several identified websites to immediately stop hosting or streaming IPL content. It also issued a dynamic injunction, allowing JioStar to flag new infringing platforms in real time, which must then be blocked swiftly by domain registrars and internet service providers.
In a parallel order, the court turned its attention to piracy through mobile apps, particularly Android-based platforms distributing content via APK files. A broader dynamic+ injunction was granted, extending to future variants, mirror links and related interfaces, signalling a tougher stance on evolving piracy tactics.
The court also directed domain name registrars to suspend offending domains and share registrant details, including KYC and payment information. Internet service providers and telecom operators have been instructed to block access within strict timelines, in some instances within 36 hours. Both the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have been asked to facilitate enforcement through necessary notifications.
Noting the fast-changing nature of digital piracy, the court emphasised the need for real-time enforcement tools to keep pace with anonymous and constantly shifting networks. It also underlined the commercial impact of piracy on legitimate rights holders.
The ruling reinforces the judiciary’s firm stance on protecting intellectual property in the digital age. For viewers, it is a reminder to stick to official platforms as the IPL season kicks off under tighter watch.
