I&B Ministry
Industry given till 5 Nov. for final CAS comments
MUMBAI: The information & broadcasting ministry is laying the final groundwork for the tabling of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2002, that will bring about the introduction of conditional access systems (CAS) in the country.
I&B Ministry joint secretary Rakesh Mohan, who is heading the government task force on the introduction of CAS, has given interested parties (broadcasters and the cable industry) till 5 November for any last representations they may wish to make. After this the task force will prepare the final draft of the CAS Bill for tabling when Parliament convenes for the Winter Session by mid-November.
A meeting convened today in Mumbai by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) on the CAS issue saw good representation from both the broadcasters as well the cable industry for an intense debate on the proposed legislation. Mohan, while making it clear that the government had more or less made up its mind on the matter, said his task force was open to discussions on any further points the industry had to make.
Mohan stated that the government saw CAS as an enabling legislation that would be rolled out in the four metros in the first phase
According to sources who were present at the meeting, the gist of what Mohan had to say as regards the key issues, was as follows:
What is the basic cost per subscriber that an operator incurs for providing cable service? The costing estimate should include both investment as well as operational expenditure, Mohan said. He added that while the task force had its own estimates worked out, it was open to further clarifications as long as inflated costings were avoided.
The ministry had yet to take a final call on whether the basic tier (CAS provides for a two-tier system: basic and premium) should have a flat service charge or it needs to be based on a per channel costing. For instance, if a Rs 3 tab is put on each channel in the basic tier, then a 30-channel package will cost Rs 90.
Whether the government should decide the strength of the basic tier (as in the minimum number of channels that will be included) or whether it should spell out a minimum number of genres that should be included in the basic tier is still being debated.
On the issue of the government mandating the number of genres to be included, there appears to be a common opposition, not so on strength of the basic tier. Speaking for the cable fraternity were not just the MSOs, but local cable operators as well, who were quite forceful in their demand that the FTA package pricing needed to be determined by the government. The issue was that of their very survival was the point that was made.
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.
