I&B Ministry
MIB warns MSOs, LCOs against removing mandatory channels
NEW DELHI: The Government today warned all multi-system operators (MSO) and local cable operators (LCO) of action if they failed to carry the mandatory channels of Doordarshan, Rajya Sabha TV and Lok Sabha TV.
Noting that it had been found that many MSOs and LCOs were not carrying mandatory channels notified by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) under different notifications, a note posted on the Ministry’s website said this was a violation of Section 8 of the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995.
Non-carriage of mandatory channels was liable to attract Section Il, Section 12 and Section 8 of the Cable Act.
Any violation of Section 8 of the Cable Act shall invite such action as provided in the Cable TV Act and the Rules framed thereunder as well as the terms and conditions stipulated in the MSO permission, as the case may be.
DD alleges DD Bharati taken off by Tata Sky
Meanwhile in a separate note, Doordarshan said that its cultural channel DD Bharati had been taken off by DTH operator Tata Sky from 13 June till date without any official information. “This accounts to a serious violation from Tata Sky’s end,” the note said.
Prasar Bharati had already moved the Ministry in this regard, and requested it to initiate action against the DTH operator.
DD Bharati and some other Doordarshan channels including DD UP, DD MP, DD Bihar & DD Rajasthan are not being carried by Tata Sky on its network, which amounts to violation of the Government rules, DD said.
Doordarshan reiterated that it is obligatory for every DTH operator to carry all Doordarshan channels, irrespective of any bouquet(s) or a-la-carte channel(s) being subscribed by subscribers. The DTH operators have to place the channels in the respective genre and display them in full television screen.
The notification of 5 and 6 September, 2013 and 25 May, 2015 had specified a list of channels that are to be mandatorily carried by DTH operators, MSOs and cable operators on their cable TV networks.
In areas where cable TV digitization has been completed, it is obligatory for the cable operators to carry 23 channels of Doordarshan including Kisan Channel, besides Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha channels.
In other areas, the cable operators are required to carry eight channels of Doordarshan, in addition to Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha channels.
I&B Ministry
MeitY proposes tighter rules for digital platforms and intermediaries
Fresh amendments aim to formalise government directions and expand content oversight.
MUMBAI: When the rulebook gets an upgrade, even the internet might need to sit up and pay attention because India’s digital regulators are clearly not scrolling idly. India’s technology regulators have proposed a fresh set of amendments to the country’s digital media and intermediary liability framework, seeking to expand oversight of online content and formalise the government’s authority to issue binding directions to platforms.
In a notice issued on 30 March, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) invited public comments on changes to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The revisions are described as “clarificatory and procedural” but are clearly aimed at strengthening compliance and enforcement.
At the heart of the proposal is a significant shift in how intermediaries, including social media platforms, respond to government advisories. A newly inserted provision would make compliance with official “clarifications, advisories, directions, standard operating procedures and guidelines” a formal part of the due diligence obligations required for platforms to retain legal immunity under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. This change effectively elevates government communications from guidance to enforceable obligations, tightening the regulatory loop between the state and digital platforms.
The amendments also expand the scope of content oversight under Part III of the rules, which governs digital media ethics. The proposed revisions clarify that the code will apply not only to publishers but also to intermediaries hosting news and current affairs content uploaded by users. This could bring user-generated news content more directly within the ambit of regulatory scrutiny, a move likely to raise questions about platform liability and editorial responsibility.
Further, the government has proposed broadening the mandate of the Inter-Departmental Committee, a key oversight body. The committee would no longer be limited to adjudicating complaints but could also take up matters referred directly by the ministry. This shift signals a more proactive regulatory posture, allowing authorities to initiate reviews without waiting for formal grievances.
The draft builds on an already expansive framework. The existing IT Rules impose detailed due diligence requirements on intermediaries, including obligations to remove unlawful content within tight timelines, maintain grievance redressal systems, and ensure traceability in certain cases. Recent amendments have also introduced provisions addressing synthetically generated content, requiring platforms to label such material and deploy technical measures to prevent misuse.
Officials framed the latest proposals as necessary to ensure an “Open, Safe, Trusted and Accountable Internet,” while improving “legal certainty” and the enforceability of regulatory directions.
Stakeholders have been invited to submit feedback by 14 April, setting the stage for what could become another consequential evolution in India’s digital governance regime.
In the fast-moving world of online content, these tweaks suggest the government is keen to keep the guardrails firmly in place – because when the internet grows wilder, even regulators feel the need to hit refresh on the rulebook.
