Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: The Government on September 6 notified amendments to the Cable Television Networks Act that replace imprisonment provisions with monetary penalty and other non monetary actions like warning and censure, an official statement said.
Under the previous Section 16 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, layed down strict punishment for contraventions under any of its provisions. This section had provision for imprisonment, which could extend up to two years in case of the first instance and five years for every subsequent offence.
These new measures will be enforced through the designated officer defined in the rules notified. Moreover, Section 16 now introduces an appeal mechanism against the order made by the designated officer.
The punishments specified under Section 16 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 were decriminalized through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provision) Act, 2023, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said.
The amendments are expected to encourage compliance with the Act without resorting to harsh punishments and sensitivity to minor or unintended contraventions, the statement said.
The inclusion of advisory, censure, and warnings in the range of penalties suggests the focus is on educating and encouraging compliance rather than solely punishing contraventions, it added.
