The Supreme Court of India is displeased with the quality of television programmes shown these days, and after hearing a Public Interest Litigation by an NGO, is considering regulating TV programmes to curb obscenity.

The NGO raised the question, "Can there be a day in 365 days a family can sit together and watch TV without an assault on basic values?".

On receiving the petition, the court immediately issued a notice, in response to which TV channels have formed a separate body, headed by former Chief Justice of India JS Varma, for self regulation. State government is now being consulted on the proposed bill to regulate TV channels.

The petition so far has received mixed reactions from Judges on the bench. Justice Aftab Alam said, "It is a delicate issue. I cannot be deciding what people want to see and appoint myself a guardian".

Justice GS Singhvi’s reaction seemed to be in favour of regulation. He referred to two unforgettable incidents shown on TV: a person in Patiala immolating himself , and a man in Hyderabad who threw himself from the fifth floor of a building.

The judges have three weeks to consider the case, but it is hard to see how strict rules can be applied. Indian epics such as the Mahabharata contain a considerable amount of bloodshed and violence. Will such shows disappear from television? X

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