DIPANKAR DATTA,J. - (1.) The first petitioner is an association of cable TV operators of Durgapur Steel Town. The second petitioner is the president of the first petitioner. They seek an order on the Union of India to extend the time by a further two months from date of presentation of the writ petition (4th February, 2016) for implementation of phase-III in regard to transmission of programmes through Digital Addressable System (hereafter the 'DAS').
(2.) It is not in dispute that in terms of Section 4A of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 (hereafter the 'Act'), the Central Government is authorised to make it obligatory for every cable operator to transmit or re-transmit programme of any channel in an encrypted form through a DAS with effect from such date as may be specified in the notification that is required to be published in the Official Gazette and that different dates may be specified for different states, cities, towns or areas, as the case may be.
(3.) It is not in dispute that a notification bearing no. S.O. 2534(E) dated 11th November, 2011 was issued by the Central Government making it obligatory for every cable operator to transmit or re-transmit programmes of any channel in an encrypted form through a DAS in the cities/towns/areas with effect from the dates specified in the table forming part of such notification. The notification dated 11th November, 2011 is not on record. However, the petitioners have annexed to the writ petition a notification bearing no. S.O. 2308(E) dated 11th September, 2014, whereby the Central Government on being satisfied that it is necessary so to do in the public interest had extended the dates specified in column 4 of the table in the notification dated 11th November, 2011 in respect of both phases-III and IV. For phase-III, the time stood extended till 31st December, 2015 in lieu of 30th September, 2014, which was the original date.;