NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 17, 2008: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has submitted its recommendations to the Government, upholding the current prohibition of religious institutions owning broadcasting and distribution services.
In the report, TRAI said that the prohibition does not mean that religious contents in regular broadcasting channels is to be forbidden, but recommends governmental supervision over them. Existing concessions of channels to religious institutions, which previously benefitted from exceptions to the law, should be banned in a timeframe of four years, TRAI recommends.