TN Govt withdraws takeover of Cable TV network Bill

Chennai, June 30 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu governemnt today announced withdrawal of the Bill passed by the previous AIADMK regime to takeover the Cable TV network in the state.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said today.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, he said since the Cable TV regulation did not come under the purview of the state government, the cabinet had decided to withdraw the Bill.

He said when the Bill was sent to the Governor for assent, he had returned it on the ground that the State could not continue to regulate the Cable network after enactment of Law by Central Government -- Cable network comes under Seventh schedule, Entry 31 of List I.

Mr Karunanidhi also announced that in 2002 when the Tamil Nadu Exhibition Television Screen through Multi-System Operations, Video Cassette Recorder and Cable Television Network (Regulation) Bill was sent to the President, the Centre had returned it stating that since the Broadcasting and other forms of communication came under Entry 31 of List I of the Seventh Schedule under which the Union Government had exclusive power to make laws.

''The Bill 2002 is beyond the competence of the State Legislatures to the extent it seeks to regulate Cable TV networks and multi-system operators,'' he pointed out.

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