Bill against unauthorised religious structures in public places tabled in Karnataka Assembly
Bengaluru(PTI): Against the backdrop of the demolition of a temple at Nanjangud in Mysuru which triggered a backlash, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday tabled the Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Bill, 2021, in the State Assembly seeking to protect religious structures already constructed illegally in public places.
"It is considered necessary to provide for protection of religious constructions in a public place constructed before the date of commencement of this Act in order to protect communal harmony and not to hurt the religious sentiments of the public. Further, to restrict unauthorised religious structures and constructions in public places in future," the government said in the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill.
The Bill tabled by Bommai further said, "Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force of any judgment, decree or order of any court, tribunal or authority from the date of commencement of this Act, or the rules made there under, the government shall protect the religious structures existing on the date of commencement of this Act, in such manner subject to such conditions as may be presented."
However, the Bill made it clear that no protection will be given if any case relating to the removal of religious places was pending in any court of law and in such other circumstances.
It directs the authorities not to allow any religious structure and its construction in future in public places.
Religious activity in such protected structures is subject to custom, law, usage and other conditions as may be laid down by the State government from time to time.
Also, the government made it clear that no suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings will lie against it or any of its officer or employee for anything, "which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or rules made there under."
The government hurriedly introduced this Bill just a week after the Nanjangud incident, which drew widespread criticism from within the ruling BJP, as well as opposition Congress and various other Hindu groups.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was quite vocal against the demolition of temple in Nanjangud.
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Union government assumes full control over TV ratings, TRAI role curtailed: Report
New Delhi: The Union government has assumed full control over television audience measurement, removing the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from oversight of the ratings system that underpins the country’s ₹36,000 crore television advertising market, according to a report published on Wednesday.
The report in Mint said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) now has exclusive authority over the framework governing how television ratings are measured and regulated. TRAI had been entrusted with oversight of TV ratings in 2012 during the UPA government’s tenure. TRAI is no longer mentioned in the relevant policy document, effectively vesting sole authority in the MIB.
The report said TRAI will continue to regulate other aspects of broadcasting, including channel pricing, advertising caps, interconnection and distribution norms, service quality and compliance standards. Its role in determining how ratings agencies track viewing behaviour has been withdrawn.
Television Rating Points (TRPs), which reflect viewership patterns, guide advertisers in deciding where to allocate spending across channels and time slots.
A government source quoted in the report said the ministry could modify TRAI’s decisions even when the regulator oversaw broadcasting.
A former CEO of Prasar Bharati told the newspaper that the MIB has historically regulated rating agencies through licensing and guidelines, and by holding them accountable under existing norms.
During its tenure overseeing ratings, TRAI had taken decisions affecting the broadcast sector, which included capping advertising time at 12 minutes per hour following complaints about excessive commercial breaks and it now remains unclear how these matters will be addressed under the revised arrangement.
Satya N. Gupta, former principal advisor at TRAI, was quoted as saying that merging regulatory functions with policy oversight and removing an independent regulator from the process was a retrograde step.
TRAI’s involvement in broadcasting had earlier attracted criticism as well. In 2012, its consultation paper on quantitative limits on television advertising was viewed by some as overlapping with the Advertising Standards Council of India’s code. Subsequent recommendations covering television audience measurement, ownership of news channels and issues such as paid news had also raised concerns among sections of the industry.
Television ratings have faced scrutiny in recent years, including during the controversy involving the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), where officials of the ratings body were prosecuted over allegations of manipulation of viewership data.
