**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting outlines the regulatory framework for advertisements on private satellite TV channels under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. The document details a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism, prohibitions against misleading or unsafe content, and the mandatory requirement for Self-Declaration Certificates (SDC) for the food and health sectors following a 2024 Supreme Court order. Key actions include strict enforcement against online betting advertisements and the implementation of time-bound complaint resolutions.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Prohibitions under the Advertising Code**
* **Rule 7(5):** Advertisements must not claim miraculous, supernatural, or unprovable properties for products or ingredients.
* **Rule 7(7):** Content must not endanger children, promote unhealthy practices, or portray children in an undignified or indecent manner.
* **Rule 7(9):** All advertisements must comply with the self-regulation code adopted by the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI).
**Grievance Redressal Mechanism**
* **Three-Level Structure:** Redressal follows a hierarchy: Level I (broadcaster self-regulation), Level II (self-regulating bodies of broadcasters), and Level III (Central Government oversight).
* **Complaint Filing:** Aggrieved individuals may file written complaints to broadcasters or to ASCI for code violations.
* **Timeline:** ASCI is required to decide on complaints within sixty days of receipt.
**Enforcement and Penalties**
* **Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC):** This committee hears complaints regarding violations and recommends actions such as warnings, advisories, apology scrolls, or off-air orders.
* **CCPA Guidelines:** The Central Consumer Protection Authority (2022) provides additional rules to prevent misleading advertisements and false endorsements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
**New Compliance Requirements**
* **Self-Declaration Certificate (SDC):** In compliance with a Supreme Court order dated 07.05.2024, advertisers must upload SDCs to the Broadcast Seva Portal (for TV/Radio) or the Press Council of India Portal (for print/internet).
* **Food and Health Sectors:** Advertisers in these specific sectors are advised to upload an annual SDC for all advertisements across media platforms.
* **Banned Categories:** Multiple advisories issued between 2022 and 2023 prohibit the promotion of online betting platforms and their surrogate products.
**Impact Analysis**
**Broadcasters**
**Impact**
Broadcasters are subject to a statutory three-tier oversight mechanism and face potential operational disruptions through "off-air orders" or public "apology scrolls" for non-compliance.
**Action Required**
Broadcasters must establish internal grievance cells (Level I) and ensure all content telecast adheres strictly to the Advertising Code and IDC recommendations.
**Advertisers and Advertising Agencies (Food & Health Sectors)**
**Impact**
These stakeholders face increased administrative requirements and legal accountability for the claims made in their advertisements.
**Action Required**
Must upload annual Self-Declaration Certificates to the designated government portals for all food and health-related products and services.
**Digital, Print, and Electronic Media**
**Impact**
Media houses are restricted from accepting specific high-revenue advertisement categories, such as online betting.
**Action Required**
Must refrain from publishing or broadcasting any content related to online betting platforms or their surrogate products.
**General Public/Consumers**
**Impact**
Consumers are provided with a structured, time-bound legal pathway to challenge misleading or harmful advertisements.
**Action Required**
May file written complaints regarding Advertising Code violations directly to broadcasters or ASCI.
Key Entities Referenced
Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995: The primary legislation that prescribes the Advertising Code for advertisements telecast on private satellite TV channels.
Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021: Statutory rules that established the three-tier grievance redressal mechanism for handling citizen complaints regarding broadcast content.
Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI): A self-regulatory body for the advertising industry whose code is mandated for cable services and which adjudicates complaints on advertising norms.
Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC): A government committee that hears complaints regarding violations of the Programme and Advertising Codes and recommends enforcement actions.
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA): The regulator responsible for issuing guidelines to prevent misleading advertisements and addressing violations under the Consumer Protection Act.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Advertising Code Prohibits Misleading Claims,
Unsafe Portrayal of Children and Violation of
Advertising Council (ASCI) Norms
Three-Tier Grievance Redressal Mechanism Enables Effective
and Time-Bound Handling of Broadcast Content Complaints
Ministry Issued Advisories and Took Action Against
Violations; Advised Media to Refrain from Advertisements of
Online Betting Platforms and Surrogate Products
Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 3:26PM by PIB Delhi
As per existing regulatory framework, all advertisements telecast on private satellite TV channels are
required to adhere to the Advertising Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation)
Act, 1995 and rules framed thereunder. The Advertising Code, inter-alia, provides that:
Rule 7(5): No advertisement shall contain references which are likely to lead the public to infer that the
product advertised or any of its ingredients has some special or miraculous or super-natural property or
quality, which is difficult of being proved.
Rule 7(7): No advertisement which endangers the safety of children or creates in them any interest in
unhealthy practices or shows them begging or in an undignified or indecent manner shall not be carried in
the cable service.
Rule 7(9): No advertisement which violates the Code for self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by the
Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), Mumbai, for public exhibition in India, from time to time,
shall be carried in the cable service.
The Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 provide a statutory three tier mechanism for
redressal of grievances/complaints of citizens relating to content broadcast by television channels. The
three–level complaint redressal structure is as under:
i. Level I – A self-regulation by broadcasters,
ii. Level II – Self regulation by the self-regulating bodies of the broadcasters, and
iii. Level III – Oversight mechanism by the Central Government.
Rule 16 of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 provides that any person aggrieved
by the content of a programme of a channel as being not in conformity with the Advertising Code may file
his complaint in writing to the broadcaster. Provided that where such complaint relates to Advertising
Code laid down by the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), such complaint may be addressed tothe said Council and that Council shall deal with such complaint in accordance with the procedure laid
down by it. Provided further that ASCI shall take a decision on the complaint within sixty days of its
receipt, and communicate the same to the broadcaster and the complainant.
An Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) has been constituted by the Central Government, which hear
complaints regarding violation or contravention of the Programme Code and the Advertising Code. As per
recommendations of the IDC, appropriate action is taken against the private TV channels by issuance of
Advisory, Warning, Apology Scroll and Off-Air Orders, when violation of any provision of the
Advertising Code is established. Ministry also issues advisories from time to time to broadcasters for
ensuring compliance to the Advertising Code.
In order to further curtail misleading advertisements and in compliance to Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Order
dated 07.05.2024, this Ministry launched a new feature on Broadcast Seva Portal for TV/Radio
advertisements and Press Council of India Portal for print/internet advertisements respectively for
uploading of Self-Declaration Certificate (SDC). The Ministry issued an advisory on 03.07.2024 advising
Advertisers/Advertising Agencies to upload an annual SDC for advertisement related to products and
services related to ‘Food & Health sectors’, published across various media platforms i.e.
print/electronic/internet on the above-mentioned portals.
For content of Digital News Publisher and OTT platforms and online advertisements, Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting had issued advisories dated 13.06.2022, 03.10.2022 and 06.04.2023 to
print, electronic and digital media to refrain from publishing advertisements of online betting platforms or
their surrogate products/services.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority under Ministry of Consumer Affairs has issued "Guidelines
for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement Rules, 2022" vide notification dated 9th June, 2022 which
lays down guidelines for prevention of false or misleading advertisements and making endorsements
relating thereto. Complaints relating to violation of the guidelines, including false and misleading
advertisements, are addressed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The information was submitted today in the Lok Sabha in a written reply to Shri Suresh Kumar Shetkar
and Shri Vijayakumar alias Vijay Vasanth by Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and
Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs.
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Mahesh Kumar/ Vivek Vishwash
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