I&B Ministry
I&B Ministry gets CAS on Upper House Monday agenda
NEW DELHI:The information and broadcasting ministry has asked the business advisory committee of parliament to relist the Cable TV Networks Amendment Bill 2002 next week and this is most probably going to happen on Monday in the Upper House (the Rajya Sabha).
According to I&B ministry officials, if the RS transacts business on Monday and there are no adjournments, then the Bill, which aims at facilitating the implementation of conditional access systems (CAS), will be discussed on that day.
The officials agree upon one thing: about three hours have been allotted for debate on CAS in the Upper House. Even if the Bill, which has generated lot of heat and unleashed high pitched lobbying for and against it, is to be referred to a parliamentary committee (as is being demanded by a section of the broadcasting industry), it will require consent from the Upper House where the issue will have to be taken up and a motion passed to this effect.
Though Swaraj’s meeting earlier this week with Opposition members of the Rajya Sabha was inconclusive, she is hopeful of pushing the amendments through in the Upper House too.
The Lok Sabha has already okayed the amendments through a voice vote. The Congress, which is opposing the passage of the CATV Amendment Bill 2002 in the Upper House and has raised several questions, however, had not opposed the Bill when it had come up in Lok Sabha.
According to political sources, Nilotpal Basu of the CPM, after his meeting with Swaraj, had said that the minister was not able to satisfactorily resolve some doubts raised by some Upper House members.
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.
