Chennai: Madras high court has granted an interim injunction for Chennai based MSO Kal Cables to continue transmitting its signals in analogue mode in a petition filed against the Centre from insisting on transmission in digital mode
Kal Cables that operates SCV cable network said March 31, 2017 was the cut-off date set by the union ministry of information and broadcasting for digitization of cable TV. Soon after the deadline, the licenses of MSOs who failed to comply with digitalization were cancelled.
“But on April 17, the ministry granted license to Arasu Cable, a MSO owned by the Tamil Nadu government, to operate in analogue mode for three more months. It was further extended till August 17 through a communication dated June 21,” Kal cables said.
Claiming that the act of the ministry is in total violation of law, the petitioner said, “When the nation has been digitalized and all the MSOs had switched to digital mode and defaulters’ license were cancelled, allowing Arasu cable alone to operate in analogue mode is against right to equality.” Noting that a representation made by Kal cables to permit them to operate in analogue mode has not been considered by the ministry, the petitioner approached the high court.
