23. Power of Central Government to give directions.—(1) The Central Government may, from
time to time as and when occasion arises, issue to the Corporation such directions as it may think
necessary in the interests of the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India or the security of the State or
preservation of public order requiring it not to make a broadcast on a matter specified in the direction or
to make a broadcast on any matter of public importance specified in the direction.
(2) Where the Corporation makes a broadcast in pursuance of the direction issued under
sub-section (1), the fact that such broadcast has been made in pursuance of such direction may also be
announced along with such broadcast, if the Corporation so desires.
(3) A copy of every direction issued under sub-section (1) shall be laid before each House of
Parliament.
24. Power of Central Government to obtain information.—The Central Government may require
the Corporation to furnish such information as that Government may consider necessary.
25. Report to Parliament in certain matters and recommendations as to action against the
Board.—(1)Where the Board persistently makes default in complying with any directionsissued under
section 23 or fails to supply the information required undersection 24, the Central Government may
prepare a report thereof and lay itbefore each House of Parliament for any recommendation thereof as to
any action(including supersession of the Board) which may be taken against the Board.
(2)On the recommendation of the Parliament, the President may by notificationsupersede the Board
for such period not exceeding six months as may be specifiedin the notification:
Provided that before issuing thenotification under this sub-section, the President shall give a
reasonableopportunity to the Board to show cause as to why it should not be superseded andshall consider
the explanations and objections, if any, of the Board.
(3)Upon the publication of the notification under sub-section (2),—
(a)allthe Members shall, as from the date of supersession, vacate their offices as such;
(b)allthe powers, functions and duties which may, by or under the provisions of thisAct be
exercised or discharged by or on behalf of the Board, shall, until theBoard is reconstituted under this
Act, be exercised and discharged by suchperson or persons as the President may direct.
(4) On the expiration of the period of supersession specified in the notificationissued under
sub-section (2), the President may reconstitute the Board by freshappointments, and in such a case any
person who had vacated his office underclause (a) of sub-section (3) shall not be disqualified for
appointment:
Provided that the President may, at any time before theexpiration of the period of supersession, take
action under this sub-section.
(5)The Central Government shall cause the notification issued under sub-section (2)and a full report
of the action taken under this section to be laid before eachHouse of Parliament.
26. Office of member not to disqualify a Member of Parliament.—It is hereby declared that the
office of the member of the Broadcasting Council or of the Committee constituted under section 13 shall
not disqualify its holder for being chosen as, or for being, a Member of either House of Parliament.
27.Chairman, Members, etc., to be public servants.—The Chairman and every other Member,
every officer or other employee of the Corporation and every member of a Committee thereof, the
President and every member of the Broadcasting Council or every member of a Regional Council or a
Recruitment Board shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian
Penal Code(45 of 1860).
14
28. Protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit or other legal proceeding shall lie against the
Corporation,the Chairman or any Member or officer or other employee thereof or the President or a
member of the Broadcasting Council or a member of a Regional Council or a Recruitment Board for
anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or of any rules on
regulations made thereunder.
29. Authentication of orders and other instruments of Corporation.—All orders and decisions of
the Corporation shall be authenticated by the signature of the Chairman or any other Member authorised
by the Corporation in this behalf and all other instruments executed by the Corporation shall be
authenticated by the signature of the Executive Member or by any officer of the Corporation authorised
by him in this behalf.
30. Delegation of powers.—The Corporation may, by general or special order, delegate to the
Chairman or any other Member or to any officer of the Corporation, subject to such conditions and
limitations, if any, as may be specified therein, such of its powers and duties under this Act as it may
deem fit.
31. Annual report.—(1) The Corporation shall prepare once in every calendar year, in such form
and within such time as may be prescribed, an annual report giving a full account of its activities
(including the recommendations and suggestions made by the Broadcasting Council and the action taken
thereon) during the previous year and copies thereof shall be forwarded to the Central Government and
that Government shall cause the same to be laid before each House of Parliament.
(2) The Broadcasting Council shall prepare once in every calendar year, in such form and within such
time as may be prescribed, an annual report giving a full account of its activities during the previous year
and copies thereof shall be forwarded to the Central Government and that Government shall cause the
same to be laid before each House of Parliament.
32. Power to make rules.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification, make rules for
carrying out the provisions of this Act.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—
(a) the salaries and allowances and conditions of service in respect of leave, pension (if any),
provident fund and other matters in relation to the Whole-time Members under sub-section (7) of
section 6;
(b) the allowances payable to the Chairman and Part-time Members under sub-section (8) of
section 6;
(c) the control, restrictions and conditions subject to which the Corporation may appoint officers
and other employees under sub-section (1) of section 9;
(d) the manner in which and the conditions and restrictions subject to which a Recruitment Board
may be established under sub-section (1) of section 10;
(e) the qualifications and other conditions of service of the members of a Recruitment Board and
their period of office under sub-section (2) of section 10;
1
[(f) the terms and conditions of service in the Corporation of officers and employees under
sub-section (2) of section 11A;
(ff) the manner and the terms and conditions subject to which matters relating to the posts borne
on the strength of the cadres of the Indian Information Service, the Central Secretariat Service or any
other cadre outside Akashvani or Doordarshan shall be determined under sub-section (2) of
section 11B;]
1. Subs. by Act 6 of 2012, s. 3, for clause (f) (w.e.f. 8-3-2012).
15
(g) the salary and allowances and conditions of service in respect of leave, pension (if any),
provident fund and other matters in relation to the President of the Broadcasting Council under
sub-section (5) of section 14;
(h) the allowances payable to other members of the Broadcasting Council and the members of the
Regional Councils, under sub-section (6) of section 14;
(i) the manner in which the Corporation may invest its moneys under section 19;
(j) the form and the manner in which the annual statement of accounts shall be prepared under
sub-section (1) of section 21;
(k) the form in which, and the time within which the Corporation and the Broadcasting Council
shall prepare their annual report under section 31;
(l) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed.
33. Power to make regulations.—(1) The Corporation may, by notification, make regulations not
inconsistent with this Act and the rules made thereunder for enabling it to perform its functions under this
Act.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power such regulations may provide for all or
any of the following matters, namely:—
(a) the manner in which and the purposes for which the Corporation may associate with itself any
person under sub-section (7) of section 3;
(b) the times and places at which meetings of the Board shall be held and, the procedure to be
followed thereat, and the quorum necessary for the transaction of the business at a meeting of the
Board under sub-section (1) of section 8;
(c) the methods of recruitment and conditions of service of officers and other employees of the
Corporation under sub-section (2) of section 9;
1
[(d) the conditions of service of officers and employees under sub-section (5) of section 11;]
2
* * * * *
(f) the services which may be provided by the Corporation under clause (f) of sub-section (3) of
section 12;
(g) the determination and levy of fees and other service charges in respect of advertisements and
other programmes under sub-section (7) of section 12;
(h) the manner in which and the period within which complaints may be made under
sub-section (2) of section 15;
(i) any other matter in respect of which provision is, in the opinion of the Corporation, necessary
for the performance of its functions under this Act:
Provided that the regulations under clause (c) or clause (d) shall be made only with the prior
approval of the Central Government.
34. Rules and regulations to be laid before Parliament.—Every rule and every regulation made
under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it
is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more
successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the
successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or regulation, or
both Houses agree that the rule or regulation should not be made, the rule or regulation shall thereafter
have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such
1. Subs. by Act 6 of 2012, s. 4, for clause (d) (w.e.f. 8-3-2012).
2. Clause (e) omitted by s. 4, ibid. (w.e.f. 8-3-2012).
16
modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under
that rule or regulation.
35. Power to remove difficulties.—If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this
Act, the Central Government may, by order, published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions, not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as it may deem necessary, for the removal of the difficulty:
Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of three years from the
appointed day.