THE CABLE TELEVISION NETWORKS (REGULATION) Act 1995
ACT NO. 7 OF 1995
[25th March, 1995]
An Act
to regulate the operation of cable television networks in the country
and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-sixth Year of the
Republic of India as follows:-
CHAP
PRELIMINARY
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1.
Short title, extent and commencement.
1. Short title, extent and commencement. (1) This Act may be
called the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 29th day
of September, 1994.
2.
Definitions.
2. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context otherwise
requires,--
(a) "cable operator" means any person who provides, cable
service through a cable television network or otherwise
controls or is
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responsible for the management and operation of a cable television
network;
(b) "cable service" means the transmission by cables of pro-
grammes including re-transmission by cables of any broadcast tele-
vision signals;
(c) "cable television network" means any system consisting of a
set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation,
control and distribution equipment, designed to provide cable
service for reception by multiple subscribers;
(d) "company" means a company as defined in section 3 of the
Companies Act, 1956; (1 of 1956.)
(e) "person" means--
(i) an individual who is a citizen of India;
(ii) an association of individuals or body of individuals.
whether incorporated or not. whose members are citizens of
India;
(iii) a company in which not less than fifty-one per cent. of
the paid-up share capital is held by the citizens of India;
(f) "prescribed" means prescribed by rule made under this
Act;
(g) "programme" mean any television broadcast and includes-
(i) exhibition of films, features, dramas, advertisements and
serials through video cassette recorders or video cassette
players:
(ii) any audio or visual or audio-visual live performance or
presentation.
and the expression "programming service" shall be construed
accordingly;
(h) "registering authority" means such authority as the
Central Government may. by notification in the official
Gazette, specify to perform the functions of the registering
authority under this Act;
(i) "subscriber" means a who receives the signals of cable
television network at place indicated by him to the cable
operator, without further transmitting it to any other
person.
CHAP
REGULATION OF CABLE TELEVISION NETWORK
CHAPTER II
REGULATION OF CABLE TELEVISION NETWORK
3.
Cable television network not to be operated except after registration.
3. Cable television network not to be operated except after
registration. No person shall operate a cable, television network
unless he is registered as a cable operator under this Act:
Provided that a person operating a cable television network,
immediately before the commencement of this Act, may continue to do so
for a period of ninety days from such commencements and if he has made
an application for registration as a cable operator under section 4
within
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the said period, till he is registered under that section or the
registering authority refuses to grant registration to him under that
section.
4.
Registration as cable operator.
4. Registration as cable operator. (1) Any person who is
operating or is desirous of operating a cable television network may
apply for registration as a cable operator to the registering
authority.
(2) An application under sub-section (1) shall be made in such
form and be accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed.
(3) On receipt of the application, the registering authority
shall satisfy itself that the applicant has furnished all the required
information and on being so satisfied, register the applicant as a
cable operator and grant to him a certificate of such registration:
Provided that the registering authority may, for reasons to be
recorded in writing and communicated to the applicant, refuse to grant
registration to him if it is satisfied that he does not fulfil the
conditions specified in clause (e) of section 2.
5.
Programme code.
5. Programme code. No person shall transmit or re-transmit
through a cable service any programme unless such programme is in
conformity with the prescribed programme code:
Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to the program-
mes of foreign satellite channels which can be received without the
use of any specialised gadgets or decoder.
6.
Advertisement code.
6. Advertisement code. No person shall transmit or re-transmit
through a cable service any advertisement unless such advertisement is
in conformity with the prescribed advertisement code:
Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to the program-
mes of foreign satellite channels which can be received without the
use of any specialised gadgets or decoder.
7.
Maintenance of register.
7. Maintenance of register. Every cable operator shall maintain a
register in the prescribed form indicating therein in brief the
programmes transmitted or re-transmitted through the cable service
during a month and such register shall be maintained by the cable
operator for a period of one year after the actual transmission or
retransmission of the said programmes.
8.
Compulsory transmission of two Doordarshan channels.
8. Compulsory transmission of two Doordarshan channels. (1)
Every cable operator using a dish antenna or Television Receive only
shall, from the commencement of this Act, re-transmit at least two
Doordarshan channels of his choice through the cable service.
(2) The Doordarshan channels referred to in sub-section (1) shall
be re-transmitted without any deletion or alteration of any programme
transmitted on such channel.
9.
Use of standard equipment in cable television network.
9. Use of standard equipment in cable television network. No
cable operator shall, on and from the date of the expiry of a period
of three years from the date of the establishment and publication of
the Indian Standard by the Bureau of Indian Standards in accordance
with the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986, (63
of 1986.) use any equipment in his cable television network unless
such equipment conforms to the said Indian Standard.
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10.
Cable television network not to interfere with any telecommunicationsystem.
10. Cable television network not to interfere with any
telecommunication system. Every cable operator shall ensure that the
cable television network being operated by him does not interfere, in
any way, with the functioning of the authorised telecommunication
systems.
CHAP
SEIZURE AND CONFISCATION OF CERTAIN EQUIPMENT
CHAPTER III
SEIZURE AND CONFISCATION OF CERTAIN EQUIPMENT
11.
Power to seize equipment used for operating the cable televisionnetwork.
11. Power to seize equipment used for operating the cable
television network. (1) If any officer, not below the rank of a Group
'A' officer of the Central Government authorised in this behalf by
the Government (hereinafter referred to as the authorised officer),
has reason to believe that the provisions of section 3 have been or
are being contravened by any, cable operator, he may seize the
equipment being used by such cable operator for operating the cable
television network.
(2) No such equipment shall be retained by the authorised
officer for a period exceeding ten days from the date of its seizure
unless the approval of the District Judge, within the local limits of
whose jurisdiction such seizure has been made, has been obtained for
such retention.
12.
Confiscation.
12. Confiscation. The equipment seized under sub-section (1) of
section 11 shall be liable to confiscation unless the cable operator
from whom the equipment has been seized registers himself as a cable
operator under section 4 within a period of thirty days from the date
of seizure of the said equipment.
13.
Seizure of confiscation of equipment not to interfere with
otherpunishment.
13. Seizure of confiscation of equipment not to interfere with
other punishment. No seizure or confiscation of equipment referred to
in section 11 or section 12 shall prevent the infliction of any
punishment to which the person affected thereby is liable under the
provisions of this Act.
14.
Giving of opportunity to the cable operator of seized equipment.
14. Giving of opportunity to the cable operator of seized
equipment. (1) No order adjudicating confiscation of the equipment
referred to in section 12 shall be made unless the cable operator has
been given a notice in writing informing him of the grounds on which
it is proposed to confiscate such equipment and giving him a
reasonable opportunity of making a representation in writing, within
such reasonable time as may be specified in the notice against the
confiscation and if he so desires of being heard in the matter:
Provided that where no such notice is given within a period of
ten days from the date of the seizure of the equipment, such equipment
shall; be returned after the expiry of that period to the cable
operator from whose possession it was seized.
(2) Save as otherwise provided. in sub-section (1), the
provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908.) shall, so
far as may be, apply to every proceeding referred to in sub-section
(1).
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15.
Appeal.
15. Appeal. (1) Any person aggrieved by any decision of the
court adjudicating a confiscation of the equipment may prefer an
appeal to the court to which an' appeal lies from, the decision of
such, court.
(2) The appellate court may, after giving the appellant an
opportunity of being heard, pass such order as it thinks fit
confirming, modifying or revising the decision appealed against or may
send back the case with such directions as it may think fit for a
fresh decision or adjudication, as the case may be, after taking
additional evidence if necessary.
(3) No further appeal shall lie against the order of the court
made under sub-section (2).
CHAP
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
CHAPTER IV
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
16.
Punishment for contravention of provisions of this Act.
16. Punishment for contravention of provisions of this Act.
Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this Act shall be
punishable,-
(a) for the first offence, with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend.
to one thousand 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 to five thousand rupees,.
17.
Offences by companies.
17. Offences by companies. (1) Where an offence under this Act
has been committed 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 conduct of the business of the company, as well as the
company, shall be deemed to be guilty, of the offence and shall 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 that the
offence was committed without his knowledge or that he had exercised
all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) ,
where any offence under this Act has been committed by a company and
it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or
connivance 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 proceeded 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 to a firm means a partner in the
firm.
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18.
Cognizance of offences.
18. Cognizance of offences. No court shall take cognizance of
any offence punishable under this Act except upon a complaint in
writing made by such officer, not below the rank of a Group 'A'
officer of the Central Government, as the State Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf.
CHAP
MISCELLANEOUS
CHAPTER V
MISCELLANEOUS
19.
Power to prohibit transmission of certain programmes in publicinterest.
19. Power to prohibit transmission of certain programmes in
public interest. Where an officer, not below the rank 'Of a Group '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, disharmony or feelings of
enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial,
linguistic or regional groups or castes or communities or which is
likely to disturb the public tranquillity.
20.
Power to prohibit operation of cable television network in publicinterest.
20. Power to prohibit operation of cable television network in
public interest. Where the Central Government thinks it necessary or
expedient so to do in public interest, it may prohibit the operation
of any cable televition network in such areas as it may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf.
21.
Application of other laws not barred.
21. Application of other laws not barred. The provisions of this
Act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the Drugs and
Cosmetics Act, 1940, (23 of 1940.) the Pharmacy Act, 1948, (8 of
1948.) the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950,
(12 of 1950.) the Drugs (Control) Act, 1950, (26 of 1950.) the
Cinematograph Act, 1952, (37 of 1952.) the Drugs and Magic Remedies
(Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, (21 of 1954.) the Prevention
of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, (37 of 1954.) the Prize Competitions
Act, 1955, (42 of 1955.) the Copyright Act, 1957, (14 of 1957.) the
Trade and Merchandise Marks, Act, 1958, (43 of 1958.) the Indecent
Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 (60 of 1986.) and the
Consumer Protection Act, 1986. (68 of 1986.)
22.
Power to make rules.
22. Power to make rules. (1) The Central Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the
provisions of this Act.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of
the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the
following matters, namely:-
(a) th (2) of section 4;e form of application and the fee payable
under sub-
section
(2) of section 4;
(b) the programme code under section 5;
(c) the advertisement code under section 6;
(d)the form of register to be maintained by a cable operator
under section 7;
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(e) any other matter which is required to be, or may be,
prescribed.
(3) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid, as soon 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 or both Houses agree that the rule should not
be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified
form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any
such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the
validity of anything previously done under that rule.
23.
Repeal and savings.
23. Repeal and savings. (1) The Cable Television Networks
(Regulation) Ordinance, 1995 (Ord. 3 of 1995.) is hereby repealed.
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action
taken under the said Ordinance, shall be deemed to have been done or
taken under the corresponding provision of this Act.
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