NEW DELHI: There have been 20 cases in the past three years in which certain television channels were asked to prohibit transmission for specific time ranging from one to 30 days, the Lok Sabha was told on 31 July.

Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Arun Jaitley said action was taken in a total of 86 cases with the Ministry issuing specific warnings or advisories to channels to comply with the Programme and Advertising Codes or directing them to scroll apologies on their channel in the other 66 cases.

The Minister said there is no provision of pre-censorship of the content telecast on TV channels but all programmes telecast are required to adhere to the Programme Code prescribed under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and the rules framed there under.

“Action is taken whenever any violation of the said code is noticed or brought to the notice of the Ministry,” he added.

Section 5 of the Programme Code provides that “No person shall transmit or re-transmit through a cable service any programme, unless such programme is in conformity with the prescribed programme code.” Accordingly, Programme Code has been notified through the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 under Rule 6. 

Click here for list of channels banned for varying periods during the last three years.