Central Information Commission
Md Iqbal Ansari vs Ministry Of Information & Broadcasting on 11 May, 2026
केन्द्रीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ मागग, मुननरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई निल्ली, New Delhi - 110067
File No: CIC/MOIAB/A/2025/800011
Md Iqbal Ansari .....अपीलकर्ाग /Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO : Ministry of Information and ....प्रनर्वािीगण /Respondent
Broadcasting, (RTI CELL), A' Wing,
Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
Date of Hearing : 11-05-2026
Date of Decision : 11-05-2026
INFORMATION COMMISSIONER : Khushwant Singh Sethi
Relevant facts emerging from appeal:
RTI application filed on : 24-04-2025
CPIO replied on : 09-05-2025
First appeal filed on : 09-05-2025
First Appellate Authority's order : 29-05-2025
2nd Appeal dated : 06-06-2025
CIC/MOIAB/A/2025/800011
Page 1 of 6
Information sought:
1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 24-04-2025 seeking the following information:
"Subject: Request for information under the Right to Information Act, 2005 regarding complaints of biased reporting and propaganda against Muslims in electronic media.
1. Please provide the total number of complaints received by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in each of the last three financial years (2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025) that allege defamation or spreading of propaganda against Muslims in electronic media, including television, radio, and other broadcasting services regulated by the Ministry.
2. The types of actions taken by the Ministry on such complaints (e.g., warnings, fines, license suspensions, or other measures).
3. Has the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued any specific guidelines or advisories to electronic media outlets on avoiding biased reporting against religious communities, particularly Muslims, in the last three years? If yes, please provide copies of those guidelines or advisories.
4. Has the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting conducted any studies or reports on the prevalence of biased reporting against Muslims in Indian electronic media in the last three years? If yes, please provide summaries or copies of those reports."
2. The CPIO furnished a reply to the Appellant on 09-05-2025 stating as under:
"Reply:- This Section is mandated to look into the adherence of Programme and Advertising Codes as prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 by the private satellite TV channels.
The point wise reply to your queries is as follows- Point 1 & 2: With respect to private satellite TV channels- The information sought by you is not readily available in the format as requested. As per readily available records, the details of specific violations and action taken thereon by the Ministry for violation of Programme and Advertising Codes by all Private Satellite TV channels from Year 2022 to 2025 (till 09/05/2025) are attached as Annexure A. CIC/MOIAB/A/2025/800011 Page 2 of 6 Point 3: As per the information available with this CPIO, this Ministry has issued three advisories dated 23.04.2022, 08.06.2023 and 20.01.2024 in the last 3 years to all the private satellite channels to refrain from telecasting any content that may disturb the communal harmony in the society. These advisories are available on this Ministry website: https://mib.gov.in/documents/notification/advisories. Point 4: The information sought by you is not available with this CPIO."
3. Being dissatisfied, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 09-05-2025. The FAA vide its order dated 29-05-2025, held as under:
" 4. In this regard, the original RTI application dated 24.04.2025 of the applicant and the reply dated 09.05.2025 provided by the CPIO have been re-examined. It is informed that this Section is mandated to look into the adherence of Programme and Advertising Codes as prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 by the private satellite TV channels.
The Section 6(1)(c) Cable Television Networks (CTN) Rules, 1994 states that- 'No programme should be carried in the Cable Service which contains attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous or religious groups or which promote communal attitudes.
and the Section 7(9) of the RTI Act, 2005 states that -
"An information shall ordinarily be provided in the form in which it is sought unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question".
The data related to complaint against channels is maintained violation wise as per the Rule 6 and Rule 7 prescribed under CTN Rules, 1994. The CPIO has already furnished this information as Annexure A in RTI reply dated 09.05.2025. The data of complaints against the channels in violation of Rule 6(1)(c) of the Programme Code, based on the earlier data already furnished, from 2022 to date) has been enclosed as Annexure 1. The CPIO has also provided the URL to the Ministry's website, where all advisories are organized by date. However, the specific links to the three advisories are as follows:
Advisory dtd. 23.04.2022 https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-05/23-04-22.pdf Advisory dtd. 08.06.2023:
https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024- 02/Adviosry_Advisory_Adherence%20to%20 CIC/MOIAB/A/2025/800011 Page 3 of 6 Programme%20Code%20prescribed%20under%20the%20Cable%20 Television%20Networks%20%28Regulation%29%20Act%2C%201995%20by%20 Private%20 Satellite%20TV%20channels.%2008.06.2023.pdf Advisory dtd. 20.01.2024:
https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-05/20-1-2024.pdf These advisories have also been enclosed as Annexure II.
5.In view of the above, the appeal stands disposed of"
4. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied, Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal.
Relevant Facts emerged during Hearing:
The following were present:-
Appellant: Absent.
Respondent: Mr. Navneet Kumar, US; Mr. Sunil Kumar, US and Mr. Devendar, SO, attended the hearing in person.
5. The Respondent submitted, that the appellant sought information regarding total number of complaints received by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in each of the last three financial years that allege defamation or spreading of propaganda against Muslims; types of actions taken by the Ministry on such complaints (e.g., warnings, fines, license suspensions, or other measures) etc. The respondent also submitted, that the sought information in point no.1 is not readily available and the same was informed to the appellant.
The respondent also submitted, that they had provided the details of specific violations and action taken thereon by the Ministry for violation of Programme and Advertising Codes, year-wise to the appellant vide reply dated 09.05.2025. The respondent further submitted, that the disclosure of sought information in point no.1, would prejudicially affect the communal harmony, security and CIC/MOIAB/A/2025/800011 Page 4 of 6 integrity of India and may lead to incitement of an offence. Hence, the sought information is exempted U/s 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act.
Decision:
6. The Commission, after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing the respondent and perusal of the records, observes that the respondent had provided the types of action taken against point no.2; website links for accessing advisories dated 23.04.2022, 08.06.2023 and 20.01.2024 against point no.3; factual reply against point no.4 and the same are found to be appropriate. The Commission finds, that during the hearing, the respondent claimed exemption for the disclosure of the sought information in point no.1, as it could prejudicially affect communal harmony, security and integrity of the country. Therefore, Commission finds, that the exemption U/s 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act, 2005 claimed by the respondent is appropriate. Therefore, no further relief is warranted. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed.
Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.
(Khushwant Singh Sethi) (खुशवन्त स िंह ेठी) Information Commissioner ( ूचना आयुक्त) निनां क/Date: 11.05.2026 Authenticated true copy S. K. Chitkara (एस. के. नचटकारा) Dy. Registrar (उप-पंजीयक) 011-26107026 CIC/MOIAB/A/2025/800011 Page 5 of 6 Copy To:
1. The CPIO Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, (RTI CELL), A' Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
2. The FAA, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, (RTI CELL), A' Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
3. Md Iqbal Ansari CIC/MOIAB/A/2025/800011 Page 6 of 6 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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