Govt rules out separate body to examine broadcasting complaints

Govt rules out separate body to examine broadcasting complaints

tdsat

New Delhi: The Government today ruled out any separate body for going into complaints relating to broadcasting.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said this while replying to a question about the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal.

The Minister said TDSAT handled 1341 broadcasting cases between 2013 and 2015: 593 in 2015, 433 in 2014 and 315 in 2013.

It dealt with thirty appeals relating to broadcasting during this period , which includes five in 2015, seven in 2014, and 18 in 2013.

When the Government decided in 2004 to give charge of broadcasting to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the TDSAT, which handles cases arising out of TRAI orders, also began handling broadcasting cases.

Even as the Prasar Bharati Act has a clear provision relating to establishing a Broadcasting Council to hear cases relating to that sector, the previous government had been contemplating a comprehensive law on legislation, which would provide for a Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India, but did not take action after the private sector protested and both the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and the News Broadcasters Association set up their own regulatory bodies.