Date: 2026-02-13Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Private TV Channels Required to Comply with Programme Code Restricting Content Against Religions, Communities and Individuals Under Cable Television Networks Act
**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting informs Parliament about the enforcement of the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Act, 1995, which restricts content against religions, communities, and individuals. The Government has taken action against private TV channels through advisories, warnings, apology scrolls, and off-air orders. This information was submitted in response to questions asked by Shri Raghav Chadha.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Programme Code Compliance:** Private Satellite Cable Television Channels must adhere to the Advertising Code & Programme Code.
* **Content Restrictions:** Programmes should not attack religions/communities, promote communal attitudes, or malign individuals/groups.
* **Grievance Redressal Mechanism:** A three-level mechanism is in place for addressing complaints of violations.
* Level I: Broadcaster.
* Level II: Self-Regulating Bodies of Broadcasters.
* Level III: Oversight mechanism by the Central Government.
* **Government Actions:** The Government takes action against channels via:
* Advisories
* Warnings
* Apology Scroll Orders
* Off-air Orders
* **Action Taken (2021-2025):**
* Advisories to specific channels: 35
* Warnings: 50
* Orders for Apology Scrolls: 54
* Off-air Orders: 3
* Cancellation of permission: 1
* Order for disclaimer: 1
* Total Actions: 144
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Private Satellite Cable Television Channels**
* **Impact:** Increased scrutiny and enforcement of programme code compliance.
* **Action Required:** Adhere to the Advertising Code & Programme Code, implement internal mechanisms for content review, and ensure participation in the grievance redressal system.
**Stakeholder: Broadcasters and Self-Regulating Bodies**
* **Impact:** Responsibility for directly addressing and disposing of complaints at Level I and Level II of the Grievance Redressal Mechanism.
* **Action Required:** Ensure efficient and transparent handling of complaints at Levels I and II.
**Stakeholder: General Public**
* **Impact:** Enhanced mechanisms for addressing grievances related to television content.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the three-level grievance redressal mechanism to report violations.
Key Entities Referenced
Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995: Governs private satellite cable television channels in India and contains provisions regarding programming content.
Programme Code: A set of rules restricting content broadcast on private TV channels, particularly regarding content against religions, communities, and individuals.
Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021: Amendment to the existing rules which establishes a statutory mechanism for redressal of grievances/ complaints of violation of Programme and Advertising Codes.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting: The Indian government ministry responsible for enforcing the Cable Television Networks Act and related regulations.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Private TV Channels Required to Comply with
Programme Code Restricting Content Against
Religions, Communities and Individuals Under
Cable Television Networks Act
Government Informs Parliament on Enforcement of
Programme Code Through Advisories, Warnings, Apology,
Scrolls and Off-Air Orders
Posted On: 13 FEB 2026 6:16PM by PIB Delhi
The Private Satellite Cable Television Channels are required to adhere to the Advertising Code
&Programme Code framed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and rules framed
thereunder, which inter alia provides that no programme should be telecast which contains attack on
religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote
communal attitudes or which criticizes, maligns or slanders any individual in person or certain groups,
segments of social, public and moral life of the country.
The Central Government has also notified Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 vide
notification No. G.S.R. 416(E) dated 17.06.2021 thereby establishing a statutory mechanism for redressal
of grievances/ complaints of violation of Programme and Advertising Codes. The Rules provide for three
level complaint redressal mechanisms, Level I by the broadcaster, Level II by the self-regulating bodies of
the broadcasters, and Level III by oversight mechanism of the Central Government. The Government
takes action against Private TV channels by issuance of Advisories, Warnings, Apology Scroll Orders and
Off-air Orders etc. The Ministry also issues Advisories from time to time to private satellite TV channels
for adhering to the Programme Code.
As per the Three Level Grievance Redressal Mechanism, at Level-I and Level -II any complaints
regarding the content of the programme of a channel, are directly received and disposed of by the
Broadcaster and Self-Regulating Bodies of the Broadcasters. As such this Ministry does not exercise direct
jurisdiction or oversight over these Level-III provides for Oversight mechanism by the Central
Government. The details of action taken by this Ministry in last 5 years as under:
Summary of action taken year-wise since 2021-2025
S.No. Description 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Total
1. Advisories to 5 7 14 3 6 35
specific channels2. Warnings 25 6 17 1 1 50
3. Orders for Apology 11 39 3 - 1 54
Scrolls
4. Off-air Orders - - 3 - - 3
5. Cancellation of 1 - - - - 1
permission
6. Order for 1 - - - - 1
disclaimer
TOTAL 43 52 37 4 8 144
This Information was submitted by the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L.
Murugan in the Rajya Sabha today in response to questions asked by Shri Raghav Chadha.
***
Mahesh Kumar
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