I&B Ministry
Modify or shift ‘double entendre’ progs, cautions broadcasting council
NEW DELHI: Action was taken in 18 cases relating to telecast of content of indecency/obscenity/vulgarity in the last three years, the Parliament has been told. This included some general advisories issues by government. The punishment in most cases was a warning or the running of an apology scroll.
Minister of state for information and broadcastng Rajyavardhan Rathore revealed that there had been no action in 2017.
The minister said apart from action taken by government, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) had set up a Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) to examine the complaints relating to content of television programmes.
The council had informed the ministry that they have received complaints against usage of double meaning dialogues of sexual nature that might not be suitable for children. In such instances, BCCC has passed directions on case to case basis, either asking the channels to modify/ edit the content, not to repeat the episode, shift it to a late night slot or run an apology scroll on the channel.
To ensure that the channels do not cross the thin line between comedy and vulgarity, the Council has also issued an advisory on 27 December 2012 to IBF’s member channels to use friendly banters without being derisive to any community, religion and individual.
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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.
