STAR INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED vs DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND PROMOTION

The Supreme Court addressed the legality of certain clauses in the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017 and the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Eighth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff Order, 2017, under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. The Court held that TRAI's regulations cannot extend to the content of broadcasts, thus striking down provisions that interfere with the pricing and marketing of television channels. The ruling emphasized that TRAI's jurisdiction is limited to the 'means of transmission' and does not encompass content regulation.