CAS bill listed on today's RS agenda

CAS bill listed on today's RS agenda

Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: The information and broadcasting ministry has done it. The Cable TV Network (Amendment) Bill 2002, which aims at facilitating addressability in Indian cable homes through conditional access system, has been listed in the agenda of business of the Upper House (RS) of the Indian Parliament today.

But the item occupies the No. 7 slot which means that it highly unlikely CAS will be taken up for discussion today as the situation stands as of 12 noon.

According to government officials, CAS has been listed for discussion in the Rajya Sabha, but the way things are moving it does not look like figuring in today's business, unless other items on the agenda are disposed off "quickly."

If the CAS issue is not discussed today in RS, it is expected that it will automatically figure in tomorrow's agenda too, of the Rajya Sabha by way of elimination of issues which are to be taken up for discussion.

The I&B ministry and minister Sushma Swaraj's efforts have been to push through CAS as early as possible with the anti-CAS lobby in recent times taking a back seat.