Question : Stakeholders Consultations

a) whether Inter-Ministerial Consultations between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had been carried out before promulgation of the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 and if so, the details thereof indicating the dates on which these Consultations were held;
(b) whether stakeholders consultations had been carried out by the Ministry before promulgating The Cable TV Networks (Amendment) Rules 2021 and if so, the details thereof indicating the dates on which these consultations were held;
(c) whether it is a fact that above mentioned rules have been challenged before multiple courts of law across the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof along with the status of Legislative approval obtained in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR):
(a): The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 were notified on 25.2.2021 under Information Technology Act, 2000 after consultation between Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
(b): The Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 were notified on 17th June, 2021, inter-alia providing for a statutory mechanism for redressal of grievances/complaints for violation of Programme Code and Advertising Code of content broadcast by television channels. These Rules were framed after taking into account the extant institutional mechanism for grievance redressal, including of several non-Governmental self- regulating bodies in electronic media, the observations of Hon’ble Supreme Court in order dated 12.1.2017 in WP(C) No. 387/2000 to frame appropriate rules for grievance redressal under the Cable Television Networks(Regulation) Act, 1994 regarding content broadcast on private TV channels, and requests received from self-regulating bodies to grant them recognition under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.
(c) and (d) : With regard to Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, Writ Petitions have been filed in various High Courts. Government has filed petitions for transfer of these Writ Petitions to the Supreme Court.
With regard to Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021, one Writ Petition has been filed in the Kerala High Court.
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