Don't report on troop movement: I&B to media

Press Trust of India | 11-Apr 2012 New Delhi: Complying with an order of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, the Information andBroadcasting Ministry on Wednesday asked the media not to telecast any programme pertaining to movement of Indian troops. The ministry has said the High Court in the matter pertaining to a petition filed by Nutan Thakur hadconsidered the issue of reports related to movement of troops in themedia. The ministry said the court had directed "the Secretary, Home Affairs, and the Secretary, Information & Broadcasting, Governmentof India, and the Principal Secretary (Home), government of UP, to ensure that there is no reporting/release of any news item by Print as wellas Electronic Media" relating the movement of troops. In its advisory, the I and B ministry said Rule 6(1)(f)of the Cable Television Networks Rules 1994, provides that no programme should be carried in the cable service which contains anything amounting to contempt of court. The ministry said that now all private satellite TV channels should strictly follow the directions of the High Court as "violation in the matter shall not only amount to contempt of court but also violation ofthe Programme Code". Violations would invite strict action as per the Law governing Contempt of Court and also as per the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act,1995, rules and the termsand conditions of uplinking and downlinking guidelines, the ministry said.