The Cable Television Network (Regulation) Ordinance, 1995

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' I I •• . • ~ _ . -. . ·Sl~t~«R ~ ~lfilf.mt ' • •· PU~LISHED BY AUTHORITY. ~-~-~=======~~=-~~==~- - . . . . • • ' ' • • --~ ·--- - - ·- --=---- -----"'··•-··· ,Uo . 6) • • · .::rf ~l>~), -1:i~~~~l'., ~'it;;J~) 17,-I 9,9~~~ .27, 1~16 . -- ~ -o.~~). ,. _.. _ ~:~~ D~~l_,.r_rUE~DAY,.JA~-UARY 17,.1995/PAUSA 27,_-1916 .. -- --======:-::-=:-::=====::::=:.=-: - -- -- , ..• Separate ,~agiiag la _. givtn to .. thls ~~art- in. order- th.at .,it. 1oay ·be· filed · - · · · · as_ a __ ~~~!'l'te ~ompilation • • ~ 1 • r · ·_.- . · . . ., . • • )J,E - .. -... PG... -- Ill - men• ••n ..... ·- - _,. .. - • ' ' . . • • • . ~- ~ -. "~ •= -- - ..... .. . • • • ' •• . - • ,: f' • .,. ' • , lo' .• -.., • • • , , (' • • • .. ~ ·I . • I • . • . . •••~ ~ '. • ·' • _ MINISTRY 01' LAW, J.US'l,I_CR_ ,Mm, COMPANY .,,Fli'"1RS • . . : . .' . ' ' ~ ... • _. ~ . .. r • .~ _ • _ (L_!!gislative Department) ,. .. - ~ . ~ . • . ~ ., "' r . ., • ,: • • • 'Ne'W Delhi, the 17ih.ianuari,; ·t'995'1Pausa.?,7, 19.is (Sq~q.) . •. . . . THE CAilLE TELEVISION NETWORK~ (&EQ-ULr\J~ON)_ ORDINANCE, 1995 - • - • ~.. 4 - ~ -- ; ~ - - : - ~ , --! -Nb.; 3 oF~ 1~99 s -· · - . - . ·' .. . . ~n .~9.~~i~an_~e_ !9- .. pr.~_vi~e ~o~ __ th.~, ~~~g11J~~iQ1:l __ 9f _tl~~ ,. operation of • ·" P,a,ble t~le~i_si9n )l~Wofks . rin th~ coUJlfj_y 3,nd f oi Illatt~~s con­ nected· therewith or inc.idental thereto.- ·- - -·• • --• -· • ,, r .. ,. --. . • . ... ' .. . ,. . .. , WHEREAS the Cable Television Networks ,(Regulation) .. -Otdinance, 1994 'to provide fo! th': a!~re~al:d matter w~s pro~nulg~t.~. by°' the . President on .. the '-,29tli ·day of ·September~·----1994:; • • • - - ~ ., '" ... - • • , • r .. • ,. ·• . - . - •• . } • • ' ' ' • • , .._ I . • . • • ~AND WHERmAs the C~ble __ , Tulev;i,~i(!l\ ~~~iw9r~ _ (!t.~gaj.~_fiqn.) ... ~,~ll, 1994 th" ·;~•pi~ce the ~~id:· O~di~ance has been ' p'assed • by the Council :.of Stat~ .and ds,~ 1: pending --in -- ·-the, House : -.of ·?the People; - -•• • ' -,_ · -- -~ - '. : ·, • • _ ... -.. - , " . . . AND· WHEREAS Parliament is not in sessi~_n • an~· the Pr(!si~ent is s&iisfled that ·~ circu~stan~e~ ·exist ~which:-~ render it ·--necessary f<>r him to . ,• '. ,.,. take immediate action; • . • • .,, • ~ ., I • ' r t , -- .,. , - - · ·' ~ ,: .. ;No~, ~~~. in ~~rtjse of ,~, p~w,~~ f~~~~ .l>Y c~.a~s~: .• (1) .0f ,.a;rti<;le 123. 9f ·the __ Cc:>~titut!<>il. tµe, :J:>r~s1~e~t :1s p~~s~ t~ pro~ut~ate the t ollowing Orfilnance:- • -- • •• . ___ _ • , ' • • .. sory ~ • mission of two Doordal'llllli channc-ls. U6Cof 'Standard eqaipme'l1 • in cable televisi0',1 netwod- Cable . television network not to interfere with any tclccom.. munica­ ti_on -, . system. Power to scitt­ equip­ ment used for operat­ ing the cable television iletwbrk. Confitr cation. Seizure or con- • • &cation ofequq,. merit botto­ iilferfere with other punisJ,­ ment. nm oAZE'ITE 011 INblA EXTRAORDINARY 8. (1) Every cable' operator using' a dish ~tenna. or_ television n;­ c:eive' only shall, from the commencement of this Ordinance, re-transmit at least two Doordarshan channels of his choic~ through the cable ser. rire. I • ~ ~ (2) The D<>ordarshan channels referred to in sub-section (1) shall be re-transmitted withOut deletion pr alteration of any programme trans- mitted on such channel. ' • 9. No cable operator shall,· ori and from' the date' of the expiry of a period of three_ year~ from the date of the es~blishment • a~d publication ~f the· Indian· Standard by the Bureau of Indian Standards m accordance with the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986, use any equipment in his cable televsion network unless such equipment c_on­ forms to the said Indian Standard. 10. Every cable operator shall en:sute that th~ cable· television network being operated by him does not interfere, in any way,· with the function­ ing of the authorised telecommuni<!ation systems-. .".. ·,.· ., I . i _SEIZURE . AND C()NF!SCATION OF CEl{'.£,\'.W EQUP'M~ '"" •t . , . • · , , , · :. , , 11.' (J)- If.any officer, nqt below ,the rank of a Group 'A' officer of the Central Government authorised in this behalf by the ,Gov-ernmenc (here­ inafter referred to as the authorised officer). has reason to believe that ilie_ provisions ot section 1 have bee~ cir l\re. befog contravened by anv cabie operator, he may • sJiie' the ~qmp:ment being used' by such • cabie · operator for operating· the cable television network. • ; _. ,. . (2) No such equipment shall be retained by the authorised officl~r - • for a period exceeding' ten_ days from the date of its seizure unless the approval of the District Judge, within the locai limits of· whose jurisdic­ tion such seizure has been made, has been obtained for such retention . . ·: ·12. The equipment seized_ under -sub-section. (1)'. ~f section 11 shall be liable to confiscation unless the cable operator fr~m whom the equip-­ Ill;ent _ has been seize~ registers himself as a cable operator under sec- - ~fon 4 withiri a pedod of thirty days from the date of seizure of the said • equipmeri t. • ' 13. No sei_zure _o:r confiscat:io~-of equipmen~ referred to in .section 11 or section 12 shall_ p~event the inflicti-on of any-punishment to which the peraon affected thereby is liable under _ the .-provisions of_ this Ordinance. ,· = I '. . . . • -.. ' :, 1: 63 of.; 5of t908- \ SBC l] . . nm oAZBTm op INDIA EXTRAORDINARY s 14· (1) • . • • . No order adjUdicar • . to 1ll sec~1on 12 shall be Illa ing confiscation of the equipment referred a notice tn Writina1 1·-L . de unless the cable operator has bee r 00 mu.1."llling him _ - n giVtm to confiscate such equiprn • of the grounds on which it is proposed making .a representation :lt ~~ giving him a reasonable opportunity of be specified in the no-t· _wntmg, within. such reasonable time as may· . • ice agai t th • being heard in the matter: ns e confiscation and if he so, desires of Provided that wh . . , d • 'f th ere no such n-oc . . . . . a) s rom e date, of th . 1ce 1s given within a penod of ten be returned after the e e _seizure of the equipment, such equipment shaIJ whose possession it wat:!;t that period to the cable operaror from (2) Save a th . • • .. • - s o erw1se r 'd . . the Cod~ of Civil Procedur! i; ed m sub-sect10n (1), the _provisions of proceedmg referred t . 'b.. _ 8 _shall, so far as may be, apply to every 0 m SU section ( l). • 1S. (1)' Any person a •. -. ·•. . • a confiscalion of th . ggrieved by any decision of the court adjudicating , e equipment ma f • . . an appeal lies from th d . . Y pre er an appeal to the court to which ' · e ecismn of such court. (2) The appellate court ma f . . • of being heard pru ch Y, a ter glvmg the appellant an opporLunity revising th d '. . ss su 0rder as it thinks fit c_onfinning modifying or e ec1s1on appealed aga·n t ' directions a •t th' 1 s -qr may send back the case with such . case may ~/af:ay tak:iink fit !~r a fre~h _ decision or adjudication, as the . r ng additional evidence if necessary. -. ( 3) No further ap' peal shall Ii . • b- • -• . ( ). e against order of the court made- un4er su secnon 2 . .. • • CHAPTER IV _ Qn'J:NCES AND PENAL~ Givin1 of op­ portunity to the cable uJX,rator of seized equip. men1 . Appeal. l6. Whoever c~travenes any l1f the provisions of this Or~nan~e Punish· shall be punishable,- • mtnt for co'lltra· (a) for the first offence, with imprisonment for a term w~ch may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to one thou­ sand rupees or with both; (b) for every subsequent offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend .:o five thousand rupees. \ l"i. (l) Where an offence under this Ordinance has been comnlitted by a company, every person who, at the 'time the offence was committed, was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the c0nduct of­ the business of the company, as well as the company, sh_all be deemed to be guilty of the offence and' sh.all be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly,; Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any punishment, if he proves tha! 'the offence ~~s committed without his knowledge or that he had exercised all due dili- gence to prevent the commission of such offence. vention of pto­ vr;fons of this Ordi- nance. Offen­ ces by compa­ nies . Co~o of of­ fencca,: Power to p!Ulibit trans­ missian of certain program­ mes in public intercat. Power to prohibit operation of cable television network in public interest. Applica­ tion of other laws rot barred. 6 THE GAZE'ITE O~ INDIA EXTRAORDINARY (2) No~withstanding anything contained in _sub-sectron (1), where any offence under this Ordinance has been _ coIIUilltted by a company and it · is proved that the offence has been ~mrnitted with the consent ~r con. nivance of or is attributable to, any negligence on the part_ of, any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company, such_ director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty ·of that offence and shall be liable 'to be pro-ceeded against and punished accordingly . ExpLanation.-For the purposes of this section,- ( a) "company" means. any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals; and (b) "director" in relation ~o a firm, means a partner in the firm. • 18. No court shall ,take cognizance of any offence punishable under this Ordinance except upon a complaint in writing made by S'Uch officer, not _below the rank of a Group 'A' officer of the Central Government, as the State Gov-ernment ma:y, by notifica'tion in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf. CHAPfER .V MlsCELLANEOUS ; 19. Where an officer, not below the rank of a G1•oup 'A' 'Officer of the Central Government authorised by the State Government in this behalf, thinks it necessary or expedient so ·to do in the public interest, he may, by order, prohibit any cable operator from transmitting or re-transmitting any particular programme if it is likely to promote, on grounds of religion, race, language, caste or community or any ,other ground whatsoever, dis­ harmony or feelings of enmity, ha:tred or ill-will between different reli­ gious, racial, linguistic or regional groups or castes or -communities or -which is likely to disturb the public: tranquillity. • 20. Where the C~ntral Government thinks it :necessary or expedient so to do in the public interest, it may prohibit the operation of any cable :television network in such areas as it may; by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf.- / . 23 of 1940. \.,,· • 8of 1948. 12 of 1950. 26 of 1950. 2!: The provisions ,qf this Ordinance shall be in · addition to, and not in derogation of, the Drugs and Cosmeti~s Act, 1940, the Pharmacy Act, 1948, the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, the Drugs (Control) Act, 1050, the Cinematograph Act 1952, the Drugs , and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) A~t, 1954, the Pre­ vention of F·ood Adulteration Act, 1954, the Prize Competitions Act, 1955, the Copyright Act, 1957, the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act 1958 the Indecent Representati:on of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 a11d the Con- 37 of 1952. 21 of 1954. 37 of 1954, 42 of 1955. 14 of 1957. sumei; Protl:!ction Act, 1!}86. • 43 of 1958. 69 of 1986. 68 of 1986. Od, 9 of 1994. ii \ ) .. f If.Col] · THEGA~ •-.-ur. OF INDIA EXI'RAORDINARY 7 --22. (1) Th;-C~~~l ~.::~:::::rnrne::=::::::::;::::::::::=.:::::=::==-=.===. ==o=:-:.~ k 1 nt may, by notification m the ffic1 • Gazette, ma e ru es to carry out the provisions of this Ordinance. . (2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the fore~ going pawer such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:- (a) th ~ form of application and the fee payable under sub-section (2) of section 4; (b) the programme code under section 5; (c) tbe advertisement code under section 6; • ( d) the form of register to be maintained by a cable operator un<ier section 7; ( e) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, presc­ ribed. (3) Every rule made under this Ordinance shall be laiu, as ~oon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule oi­ b<>th Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall there­ after have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modific.ation or annulm~nt shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule. • •· ' 23. (1) The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Ordinance, 1994 is hereby repealed. (2) N~twithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the said Ordinance, shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Ordinance. , SHANKER DAYAL SHARMA, President. Power tomakt rules, Repeal and Savm,s. K. L. MOHANPURIA, Secy. to t?e Govt. of India. • • iYJIINMJlNT OP INDIA PlU!SS, MINTO ROAD, NEW DEUD PllINTl!D BY T8B MAN&GD, GO ROLLER OF PUBLICATIONS, DELPI, 1994. ANO PUBLISHED BY THE co:.,