HC asks TRAI not to take coercive step against Kalaignar TV

The Delhi High Court today asked Telecom Regulatory Authority of India not to take any coercive steps against DMK-run Kalaignar TV in connection with advertisements exceeding 12 minutes per hour.
The order of the bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana came on a petition moved by the channel.
The bench said the channel will keep the regulator informed about details of ads in a given duration.
In December last year, similar orders were passed by the high court in such petitions moved by other channels.
All the matters including the petition of Kalaignar TV was earlier before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

However, after the Supreme Court ruling that TDSAT has no jurisdiction to hear against regulation framed by TRAI, the matters came to be filed before the high court.
TRAI had come out with quality of service regulation, which mandates channels to show not more than 12 minute of ad and promotional content per hour.
Earlier, the TDSAT also had directed the regulator not to take any coercive action against the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), which at present has 26 leading news and current affairs broadcasting companies, which run 53 news and current affairs channels.