Explore post-release review panel for OTT content: Parliamentary panel

The parliamentary committee also sought a standardised multilingual grievance system for intermediaries and stronger safeguards for online advertisements and cybercrime

A parliamentary panel has recommended that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) develop a standardised multilingual system to redress grievances across intermediaries defined under the Information Technology Rules, 2021. It has also asked the government to study the feasibility of establishing an independent ‘post-release review panel’ for content on over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

 

In its reports tabled in Parliament, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, presented its observations on the action taken by the government on its recommendations relating to the ramifications, protection and prevention of cybercrime.

 

 

On the grievance-redressal obligations of intermediaries under Rules 3(2) and 3A of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the committee said the MHA should develop a standardised, accessible and multilingual grievance-redressal system across intermediaries. It said such a system should have unique complaint numbers, tracking facilities, defined timelines, reasoned disposal and automatic escalation of unresolved complaints. Such a system should also have an effective monitoring framework, it said.

 

On the regulation of content on OTT platforms, the committee said the existing framework continued to rely largely on self-regulation by the platforms. It reiterated its recommendation that the government should expeditiously examine the feasibility of establishing an independent ‘post-release review panel’ comprising experts from the fields of child development, education, law, social sciences and civil society to review flagged content and recommend appropriate corrective measures.

 

The committee said the proposed comprehensive statutory framework for regulating OTT content should incorporate robust technology-enabled age-verification mechanisms, effective parental controls and suitable penalties for non-compliance.

 

On the mechanism for regulating online advertisements, which is currently being formulated, the committee recommended that while finalising the policy, the ministry should incorporate robust verification requirements for offshore advertisers, including digital-document verification, live identity authentication and continuous monitoring based on zero-trust principles, to prevent fraudulent and deceptive advertisements targeting Indian users.

 

The committee said the withdrawal of general consent by certain states for investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation continued to impede seamless and time-bound investigations into inter-state and transnational cybercrime. It asked the MHA to engage with state governments to evolve a durable mechanism for facilitating CBI investigations into cybercrime cases and suitably amend the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, to enable the agency to effectively investigate cases of national and inter-state significance.

 

The committee recommended the integration of cybercrime prevention and cyber-hygiene education into school curricula. It also asked the MHA, other ministries and relevant regulators to establish a mechanism to periodically review and update the cybercrime legal framework. It flagged the need for comprehensive and unified cybercrime legislation with clear definitions, technology-neutral provisions and effective penalties for emerging offences. It also recommended setting up a specialised Integrated Cybercrime Task Force with nationwide jurisdiction, technical expertise and inter-agency coordination to investigate complex and transnational cybercrime.

 

In another report relating to the review of administrative governance, socioeconomic development and internal security in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the committee suggested constructing an airport or suitable aviation facility in the Katra region of Jammu to ease travel for the “steadily increasing number of pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and the growing tourist inflow to the Jammu region.”

 

It noted that significant progress had been made in the exploration of strategic and commercially important minerals such as lithium, sapphire, limestone, graphite, lignite and marble in J&K. It said J&K’s vast mineral wealth should be harnessed in a scientific, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial manner, and that “exploration activities be expedited through timely statutory and forest approvals”. It underscored that the benefits of mineral development should accrue to the local economy.

 

The committee expressed concern that the dropout rate at the secondary level in J&K had increased to 12.6 per cent in 2024-25 and the gross enrolment ratio had declined sharply from 114.2 at the primary level to 77 at the upper-primary level, 65.4 at the secondary level and 53.7 at the higher-secondary level. “These figures indicate continuing weaknesses in student retention and transition, particularly after the elementary stage,” it said. On the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, in J&K, it noted that of 46,242 individual and community claims received, only 6,172 had been approved, while 39,898 had been rejected. The committee said “that the exceptionally high number of rejected claims requires careful scrutiny.”

 

The committee observed that despite 6,510 families initially expressing willingness to return to the Kashmir Valley, only three had permanently resettled there. It recommended a comprehensive assessment of the security, housing, livelihood, education and social concerns inhibiting their return, including a structured survey of migrant families residing outside the Union Territory, so that the rehabilitation package could be suitably reviewed and a safe, voluntary and dignified return facilitated.

 

In its report on disaster management, the committee recommended that the MHA update the National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009. It also suggested revising the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP), published in 2019.

 

Members of the 31-member committee include the BJP’s Navin Jindal, Tarun Chugh, B Y Raghavendra and Neeraj Shekhar; the Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ajay Maken; the Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien; and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Dayanidhi Maran. 

Coming soon...

• Common multilingual grievance-redress system 
• Complaint tracking, and auto-escalation framework
• Independent post-release review panel 
• Stronger age verification and parental controls 
• Stricter verification norms for offshore online advertisers