The Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2002 could not be passed by the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) today. The reason: lack of time.

It now appears likely that information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj, who has almost singelhandedly carried the bill this distance through Parliament, will push through the legislative change through an ordinance (executive order) after Parliament takes a break.

Tuesday's terrorist attack in the Jammu region of the strife-torn state of Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 34 lives, and how the government should respond to it, took up the whole day's business. The debate on the issue was still going on when the house adjourned.

The amendments to the Act were passed in the Lok Sabha (Lower House) on Wednesday through a voice vote after a marathon discussion which lasted over three hours.






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