India:HC notice on promoting liquor brands during IPL

The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the central government, the Indian cricket board and Sony entertainment channel on a petition alleging that the IPL platform was being used for "promoting liquor brands" and the same was blatantly aired by the TV channel.

A division bench of Chief Justice D. Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath sought response in this regard from the union home ministry, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sony entertainment channel and also asked the Delhi government's excise department to file a response by Aug 14.

The public interest litigation (PIL), filed by advocate Asif Khan Wednesday, said the central government had allowed airing of the cricket event wherein a blatant abuse of the platform is being adopted to promote liquor of various brands and companies in complete violation of the Cable Television Networks Act and the Rules.

The central government has failed to discharge its duties to ensure that such violations are curbed, it said.

Sony, which had the exclusive rights to telecast all the IPL matches has "violated the provisions of the law by telecasting such matches which promote or advertise directly, indirectly or by surrogate manner various brands of alcohol", the plea submitted.