[ad_1]
NEW DELHI: The News Broadcasters Association on Friday filed a writ petition in the Kerala HC, challenging the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 and Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 on the grounds that the law and rules are violative of the fundamental rights of equality and freedom of speech.
In a statement, NBA said the main challenge moved by the association was Rules18 to 20 of the Amendment Rules, 2021 which create an “oversight mechanism” that give the executive “unfettered, unbridled and excessive powers to regulate the content of TV channels of news broadcasters”. “The complaint redressal structure created and the powers delegated have a ‘chilling effect’ on the content of the media,” it said. The NBA also challenged parts of the Programme Code and Advertising Code of the Cable TV Rules, saying they are “beyond the provisions of Article 19(2) of the Constitution”.
It said the HC passed an order in favour of NBA and its members directing the government to refrain from taking coercive action against broadcasters for not complying with Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 until the pending writ petition is disposed of.
In a statement, NBA said the main challenge moved by the association was Rules18 to 20 of the Amendment Rules, 2021 which create an “oversight mechanism” that give the executive “unfettered, unbridled and excessive powers to regulate the content of TV channels of news broadcasters”. “The complaint redressal structure created and the powers delegated have a ‘chilling effect’ on the content of the media,” it said. The NBA also challenged parts of the Programme Code and Advertising Code of the Cable TV Rules, saying they are “beyond the provisions of Article 19(2) of the Constitution”.
It said the HC passed an order in favour of NBA and its members directing the government to refrain from taking coercive action against broadcasters for not complying with Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 until the pending writ petition is disposed of.
[ad_2]
Source
