High Court
Tata Sky seeks to amend its writ petition against TRAI in the tariff order case
MUMBAI: The direct-to-home (DTH) platform Tata Sky has sought to amend the writ petition which was filed earlier before the Delhi High Court against the new tariff order introduced by The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Alongside the ongoing case, Tata Sky seeks to amend the present petition by adding a challenge to the new amendments which was brought by the regulatory body at the beginning of 2020.
Tata Sky has mentioned that following amendments are “arbitrary, irrational, unreasonable, without jurisdiction and seek to be expropriatory”.
The petitioner has submitted that the reduction of Network Capacity Fee (NCF) is irrational and unreasonable as it does not ensure reasonable profit to the DTH platform. According to the petitioner, the TRAI has not carried out any tariff determining exercise before making the amendment regarding NCF.
TRAI has also reduced the chargeability of the NCF in respect of every additional television to only 40 per cent of the original NCF, in a "multi-tv household". It has also asked to reduce the carriage fee chargeable by a DPO against a new television channel from 20 paisa for Standard Definition (SO) per channel per month for a penetration upto 5 per cent, to a cap of maximum Rs 4 lakh for SD Channels. Such caps are also prescribed for HD Channels.
“Through the capping of the Price of a Pay-Channel which could be put into a bouquet, the Distribution Fees available to the DPO has also been unreasonably and irrationally reduced,” the petitioner submitted. It also added that the amendment would reduce the capability of a DPO to form bouquets of channels which are priced above Rs 12 by the broadcaster. Moreover, a compulsory free carriage of Doordarshan channels has also been mentioned as unreasonable.
“The Petitioner submits that the Impugned Amendments 2020 reduce the revenue generated by the Petitioner No.1 in such manner that even the basic right of the Petitioner to recover the basic cost of its network has been negated. The Petitioner submits that during the course of the present petition before this Hon'ble Court, the Respondent has failed to prove, establish or even display the advantages of the 2017 Regime,” it says.
Hence, Tata sky has sought to make additional grounds which may be allowed to be included in the main writ petition. According to the company, the impugned amendments 2020 do not take into account relevant matters and takes into account irrelevant issues like foreign consumers to subscribe television channels on the ala-carte basis by making bouquet of channels expensive. The DTH network is thus being made available to the consumer in such manner that it would not be able to even recover its operational or capital costs.
High Court
Bombay HC likely to protect Kartik Aaryan’s personality rights
Actor seeks Rs 15 crore damages over AI misuse, deepfakes and merch
MUMBAI: In an age where faces can be faked and voices cloned, even stardom needs legal armour. The Bombay High Court has indicated it will pass an order safeguarding the personality and publicity rights of Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan, following allegations of widespread digital misuse of his identity.
The matter, heard by Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh, centres on a plea filed by Aaryan seeking a broad John Doe injunction against 16 defendants, including e-commerce platforms, social media intermediaries and unidentified entities. The court noted the concerns raised and said appropriate orders would be issued.
At the heart of the case lies the growing threat of artificial intelligence-driven impersonation. Aaryan’s petition flags multiple instances of deepfake content circulating across platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, where his likeness has allegedly been used to create fabricated videos, including false romantic link-ups and objectionable scenarios designed to drive engagement.
In one particularly alarming example, the actor’s legal filing cites AI-generated visuals that falsely associate him with controversial global figures, including Jeffrey Epstein. The plea argues that such content not only misleads audiences but also causes serious reputational damage.
The concerns extend beyond content to commerce. The suit alleges that unauthorised merchandise bearing Aaryan’s name and image is being sold across platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Redbubble, without his consent. Additionally, the actor has raised red flags over AI-powered chatbots that mimic his voice and simulate conversations, warning of potential misuse in fraudulent activities.
Aaryan’s filing underscores that he is the registered proprietor of the trademark “Kartik Aaryan”, with his name, voice and likeness carrying significant commercial value. The unauthorised use of these attributes, the plea states, leads to “immediate and irreparable harm” to his goodwill.
Seeking both preventive and punitive relief, the actor has requested a permanent injunction restraining entities from exploiting his identity in any form be it name, voice, signature or distinctive dialogue style. He has also sought damages amounting to Rs 15 crore for alleged commercial misappropriation and reputational loss.
The case highlights a larger legal and cultural moment, where the lines between reality and replication are increasingly blurred. As AI tools become more accessible, courts are now being called upon to define the boundaries of identity in the digital age, where a face may be famous, but control over it is no longer guaranteed.
