The ministry has invoked sections 6 (1) a, d, i and o of the programming code that is signed by all channels before they can obtain an uplinking license. If, after investigation and hearing, the channel is found to have violated the code, it could potentially lose its broadcasting license, though admittedly, that would be an extreme scenario. What isn’t, however, is the ministry asking the channel to take the show off air. Star Plus has been India’s leading entertainment channel for a decade and broadcaster Star India, a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. (NYSE: NWS), is among India’s largest and most profitable media companies. 

In the past, violators have been asked to run a scroll of apology or has been taken off air for a finite period of time (Fashion TV).

The relevant sections are as follows:

a) Offends against good taste or decency
d) Contains anything obscene, defematory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half truths
i) Criticises, maligns or slanders any individual in person or certain groups, segments of social, public and moral life of the country
o) Is not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition.

I&B minister Ambika Soni has called an emergency meeting of two industry bodies—News Broadcasters Association and Indian Broadcasters Foundation—to discuss the developments tomorrow (Thursday) at 12pm. The minister, who has so far said she doesn’t want to be censoring content, will now come under intense political pressure to change that stand. No political party will want to be seen supporting what will be portrayed, in days to come, as a bold and obscene show that maligns Indian culture.

The ministry moved within hours of the question being asked in the Parliament, to (presumably) investigate the show and issue a show cause notice. If that is any indication of the administrative zeal triggered by the questions in Parliament, Star will have plenty of work to do in defending itself by 4pm on 27 July—the deadline to respond to the notice. 

A Star spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.