Overview
- The government announced on Friday, Aug 14, 2026, that it has decided to remove the 12‑minute advertising ceiling that limited non‑programme content to 12 minutes per clock hour.
- The change will take legal effect only after an amendment to the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 is notified in the Gazette.
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting justified the decision by pointing to full digitisation and a jump from about 62 channels in 2006 to more than 900 now, saying market competition makes the old cap unnecessary.
- The removal applies to both pay and free‑to‑air channels and is expected to produce longer commercial breaks and shift revenue strategies for broadcasters and advertisers.
- The move follows a May 2026 Delhi High Court ruling that had upheld the 12‑minute limit, and it stands after industry proposals ranged from a 25% limit to market‑led approaches while broadcasters lobbied for full removal.