NEW DELHI: In a stringent action, the Inter-Ministerial Committee prohibited the transmission or re-transmission of the Mahuaa TV channel for one day on any platform throughout India from midnight 28 April to midnight 29 April for telecast of ?Adults only? certified films during afternoon hours.

The order was issued sub section (2) & (3) of Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and under paras 8.1 & 8.2 of the guidelines for uplinking from India.

The channel had screened the films "Aulaad" on 19 July last year at 13:30 hrs and following it up with ?Ek Aur Kurukshetra? on 30 August at 13.29 hrs, displaying ?A? certificates handed by the Central Board of Film Certification.

In reply to a show cause notice, the channel apologised for the error and said this was the first time such a thing had happened since the channel was set up in July 2008. The channel was also permitted to make a presentation before the Committee.

It was pointed out that the IMC has the powers to suspend the permission of uplinking granted to a company for a period of thirty days in the event of first violation, for ninety days in the event of second violation, and revocation of permission of the company and prohibition of broadcast up to the remaining period of permission in the event of third violation.