Government seeks report from Kerala Police on alleged Rs 100-crore TRP case

The government has sought details on the action taken in the alleged Rs 100-crore television rating manipulation case that recently surfaced, signalling closer scrutiny of the television audience measurement system even as it undergoes a policy review.

In a written response in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) said it has taken note of media reports alleging that a television channel was involved in manipulating television ratings by bribing an employee of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.

“In view of the allegations, a preliminary report, including details of action taken on the FIR reportedly filed in the matter, has been sought from the Director General of Police, Kerala Police,” the ministry said.

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The government reiterated that television ratings in India are governed by the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India, 2014. These guidelines mandate rating agencies to maintain secrecy and privacy of panel homes, and ensure a transparent, fair and accountable audience measurement system.

The ministry added that, with a view to further strengthening the integrity and transparency of the ratings ecosystem, it issued draft amendments to the policy guidelines on July 2, 2025, for public consultation. The proposed changes aim to promote fair competition, improve the accuracy and representativeness of ratings data, and better reflect evolving media consumption patterns across regions.

After examining stakeholder feedback, a revised draft amendment was published on November 6, 2025, for further consultation. “The Government continues to closely monitor developments to ensure the credibility and integrity of the television audience measurement system,” the response said.

A system under renewed scrutiny

For years, India’s television industry has lived with persistent suspicions and periodic allegations around the integrity of audience measurement, most of which remained confined to industry conversations without formal escalation. The alleged Rs 100-crore TRP manipulation case in Kerala, however, has brought those concerns into sharper public focus.

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The unfolding investigation comes at a sensitive time, with the MIB already reviewing the country’s ratings framework. Questions are being raised around how ratings were allegedly influenced, how access to sensitive data may have been obtained, and whether money trails were used to distort audience metrics.

The case has reignited a broader debate within the broadcasting ecosystem: whether the current system is vulnerable to exploitation, whether known blind spots were ignored for too long, and whether incremental reforms are sufficient—or if the moment calls for a deeper structural overhaul of how television audiences are measured in India.