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Information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj had expressed
confidence in a conversation with indiantelevision.com last Friday
that the process of implementation of the CAS should get the nod
of the Rajya Sabha this week.
Sounding absolutely confident of the passage of the Bill, Swaraj
had stated she did not foresee any opposition to the Bill in the
Rajya Sabha.
Swaraj's assertive stance on CAS followed soon after the Indian
Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), after initial reservations on CAS,
made it public that it supports the government initiatives on CAS.
The Bill, which seeks to facilitate implementation of CAS and bring
about addressability in Indian cable homes, has already been okayed
by the Lok Sabha (Lower House) during the Monsoon Session itself.
The Bill is now awaiting the Rajya Sabha's nod before it is enacted
into law.
The Rajya Sabha, where the government does not have a majority,
has been a problem area for the government as far as CAS is concerned.
The Opposition Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha --- mainly
the Communist party of India (Marxist) and the Congress Party ---
had been demanding that the issue of CAS be discussed thoroughly
and, preferably, be referred to a parliamentary committee for more
deliberations on the issue.
A senior RS partyman of the CPM, Nilotpaul Basu, had told indiantelevision.com
recently that his party is for CAS to be referred to a parliamentary
panel for more discussion on the issue. However, Basu could not
be contacted for comments on Swaraj's latest assertion on CAS.
Finally, after a whole host of twists and turns, CAS looks on its
way to becoming reality, though its actual implementation will take
some more time.
See earlier headline:
CAS
passage likely on 10 December, asserts Swaraj
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