SC terms 'anti-competitve' barring of TV channels airing dubbed serial

[Sagar]

MUMBAI: In Competition Commission of India versus Co-ordination Committee of Artists And Technicians of WB Film and television, the apex court of India has held that, preventing channels from airing the tele-serial Mahabharat dubbed in Bengali is an ‘anti-competitive’ activity, and the protection under the garb of language goes against the interest of competition.

The CCI (Competition Commission of India), acting on a complaint that the Committee of Artists and Technicians of West Bengal Film, Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA) and Television Investors (Coordination Committee), demanded to halt the airing of the dubbed serial on some TV channels, held that this activity was ‘anti-competitive’.

The Competition Appellate Tribunal however set aside the order and conclusion of the CCI, stating that the EIMPA and the coordination committee were not an "enterprise." The CCI then approached the Supreme Court.

SC terms 'anti-competitve' barring of TV channels airing dubbed serial | Indian Television Dot Com