MIB empowers Additional District Magistrates to implement Cable TV Act

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), in its notification dated March 7, 2016, authorised Additional District Magistrates as authorised officers to exercise the powers conferred upon them under the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

The notification states: “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of Section 2 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, the Central Government hereby notifies Additional District Magistrates as authorised officers to exercise the powers conferred upon them under the provisions of the said Act, except in respect of Sections 5 and 6, within the local limits of their jurisdiction.”

The notification also clarifies that the ADMs jurisdiction would not cover Section 5, which related to the Programme Code, and Section 6, which relates to the Advertising Code.

Prior to this notification, District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, and the Commissioner of Police have been the authorised officers in the Act.