Question : EVADING OF ENTERTAINMENT DUTY



(a) whether Cable Television Network Act, 1995 makes every cable operator to get himself registered with the Regulating Authority and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether most of the cable operators are evading payment of entertainment duty;

(c) if so, the details thereof and corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) whether the Government proposes to initiate action against such cable operators and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government has any plan to amend the said act for the purpose, if so, the details thereof and the time by which such amendment is likely to be made?

Answer given by the minister


THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.))

(a) As per Section 3 of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995, no person shall operate a cable television networks unless he is registered as a cable operator under this Act. As per Rules 2(e) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 “registering authority” means as under:
(i) in relation to a cable operator the Head Post Master of a Head Post office of the area within whose territorial Jurisdiction the office of cable operator is situated;
(ii) in relation to a Multi-System Operator in digital addressable area, the Central Government.

(b) to (d) Entertainment tax collections are made by State Governments and this Ministry does not maintain any such record.

(e) Digitisation of Cable TV Networks, in accordance with section 4(a) Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995, is being carried out in phased manner. It will bring transparency in subscriber base thus enabling tax collection based on subscriber data.

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