Ministry of Home affairs to submit report on Kal Cables next week

Kal Cables today moved Madras HC over licence cancellation where the court said it need not run scrolls of impending shutdown

The Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to submit its report to the Madras High Court next week on why it did not give security clearance for  Kal Cables Pvt Ltd, a multi system operator. It is promoted by DK Enterprises and Mallika Maran, mother of former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran. Dayanidhi's brother Kalanithi, is promoter of Sun TV Network. It may be noted, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting had cancelled Kal Cables license stating it did not have security clearance.

The counsel appearing for the Ministry today told the Court, "The report is confidential and it will be submitted by the Ministry (Home Affairs) on Tuesday".

While the 15 days time, from August 21, given by the Ministry will continue for the company to cut the service, the Court stayed the Ministry's direction asking Kal Cables to put a scroll on the screen informing its customers that the service will be cut.

Kal Cables runs Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV), a part of the Sun Group, which is largely based out of Chennai. The company has got around 13 lakh customers in the city. Total subscribers in the city is estimated to be around 40 lakh.
 
The multi system operator (MSO) provides cable television network services with a digital addressable system (DAS) here. It is one of the 17 companies whose licences have been cancelled by the government. This follows a denial of security clearance from the Union home ministry.

Other companies that were denied a licence, are: Kashmir-based Arshad Cable Network Private Limited, IB Communications in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra-based Intermedia Cable Communication Private Limited, New Delhi-based Eminent Cable Networks, Digicable Communication Services in Kolkata and Tamil Nadu-based Kavery Digital Networks Private Limited.

Kal Cables has today challenged the government order at the High Court.

The government order, dated August 20, 2014 said, "In view of denial of security clearance by the Ministry of Home aAfairs, regular registration cannot be granted to Kal Cables Private Limited in terms of provisions contained in Rule 11 C and accordingly the permanent registration granted to Kal Cables stands cancelled with immediate effect."

The ministry has given 15 days to wind up the company's operations. The company is one of the major MSOs operating in Chennai. The city has a subscriber base of about four million households, of which about one million are DTH subscribers, said P Shakilan, founder of Tamizhaga Cable Operators Association.

Kal Cables has about 1.3 million subscribers.

Kal Cables claimed that it was not given an opportunity to present its case before the Ministry.

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