The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has served notice to Tata Play on a petition filed by Culver Max Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (Sony Pictures Networks India), seeking a comprehensive audit of the DTH operator’s subscriber base. The division bench, headed by Chairperson Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel and member Justice Subodh Kumar Gupta, has adjourned the matter to September 16 after Tata Play’s counsel sought additional time for instructions.
The dispute, which first flared in May 2025 when Tata Play removed 25 Sony channels from 106 of its subscription packs without prior notice, has left millions of subscribers without access to Culver Max’s bouquet in regular bundles. Key sports properties, including Sony Sports Network channels, remain unavailable in packs but can still be activated on an à la carte basis.
The conflict has intensified during the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, frustrating viewers who depend on Tata Play for live coverage.
Earlier, the Tribunal had granted interim relief to Tata Play by staying execution of a ₹128.42 crore demand raised by Culver Max, conditional on Tata Play depositing ₹40 crore within two weeks. TDSAT had also directed Culver Max to stop airing static messages or scrolls targeting Tata Play. The next substantive hearing on this issue is scheduled for September 26, 2025.
Culver Max has simultaneously challenged certain portions of the Tribunal’s order before the Bombay High Court, particularly the restriction on issuing public statements about Tata Play’s removal of Sony channels. While the court denied interim relief, it allowed the broadcaster to post a limited clarification, informing consumers that Sony channels remain available individually and within Sony bouquets on Tata Play.
Calling Tata Play’s move a violation of its contractual rights and of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) interconnection norms, Culver Max has also filed a writ petition arguing that a previous TDSAT order of May 30 was “ultra vires” and curtailed its constitutional rights, including free trade and speech.
Industry experts note that such disputes are not uncommon in the pay-TV ecosystem, where issues of subscriber reporting, revenue sharing, and payment defaults often escalate to the TDSAT under Section 14 of its governing Act.
