MIB took 144 enforcement actions against TV channels in five years

In a written reply to an unstarred question by AAP MP Raghav Chadha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr L. Murugan said all private satellite channels are mandated to strictly follow the Programme and Advertising Codes framed under the 1995 Act and related rules.

As per the data shared in Parliament, the Ministry undertook 43 actions in 2021, 52 in 2022, 37 in 2023, four in 2024 and eight in 2025, taking the total to 144 actions over five years. The highest number of interventions was recorded in 2022, followed by 2021 and 2023, with a sharp drop in 2024 and 2025.

The actions included 35 advisories, 50 warnings and 54 directions to run apology scrolls. In more serious instances, the Ministry issued three off-air orders and cancelled permission in one case. Additionally, one order directing a disclaimer was passed during the period.

The Minister noted that the Codes prohibit content that attacks religions or communities, carries contemptuous references to religious groups, promotes communal attitudes, or maligns individuals and sections of society.

He also informed the House that the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021, notified on June 17, 2021, introduced a statutory three-tier grievance redressal mechanism. Complaints are first examined by the broadcaster, then by self-regulatory bodies set up by broadcasters, and finally, at the third level, by an oversight mechanism under the Central Government.

The Ministry clarified that it steps in only at the third tier, while the first two levels are handled directly by broadcasters and their self-regulatory bodies.

Responding to a query on whether local or vernacular news channels are governed differently, the Minister said the same statutory framework applies uniformly to national, regional and local broadcasters.