NaMo TV is ad platform launched by DTH providers: I&B Ministry to EC

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has responded to an Election Commission (EC) notice on NaMo TV on April 5, saying it is an advertisement platform launched by Direct to Home (DTH) service providers which does not require government nod.

The ministry has also said that NaMo TV is not a regular channel and it does not figure in the official list of approved channels, a source said. The Information and Broadcasting ministry told the poll panel that as per the existing norms, no approval is required from the it to run such advertising platforms, the source said.

On April 2, the EC had issued a notice seeking a report from the ministry on NaMo TV, launched just weeks ahead of the general election, after opposition parties, including the Congress, asked the poll body to direct the ministry to suspend the channel as it was violative of the Model Code of Conduct.

The EC will take a call on whether it violated the model code after going through the documents the ministry files.