The government is mulling curbing powers of Prasar Bharati CEO in the backdrop of charges against former head of the public broadcaster Mr B S Lalli with regard to Commonwealth Games contracts, an official said today.

Once amendments in the Prasar Bharati Act for the purpose come into force, the process to remove its CEO will become easier, the senior I&B Ministry official said.

The amendments will also empower the Ministry to order telecast of an event on Doordarshan, he said.

“During the Commonwealth Games last year, Mr Lalli took all the decisions which resulted in a CBI case into award of the broadcasting contracts,” the official said.

“It was felt that despite the presence of oversight committee, Mr Lalli managed to take all decisions because of the powers the Prasar Bharati Act confers on the CEO,” he said.

A Group of Ministers, which studied the matter, has suggested that the relation between the ministry and Prasar Bharati be re-looked, he said.

Sources said that one of the key amendments that the ministry has moved for the Cabinet’s consideration is inclusion of a clause according to which “inefficiency” is a criterion for the removal of the CEO.

A board, which would include the Vice-President, the Chairperson of Press Council of India, and the Minister of Information and Broadcasting would have powers to appoint and also remove the CEO, they said.

As per the present Act, the removal of the Prasar Bharati CEO cannot be made without the consent of the President and the Supreme Court.

The Prasar Bharati Act came into being at a time when Doordarshan was the only channel and autonomy was provided to it to ensure that the government did not have monopoly over news.

However, in the proposed amendments, it is suggested that the I&B Ministry be given the power to order the telecast of important events.

“It is proposed that if there is an event of national importance, the ministry should have the power to order its telecast, but it will have to be given in writing,” said the official.

Another amendment is to reduce the eligibility age of the Prasar Bharati board members to 55 years from the current 62.

“The idea is to get in more young and professional members in the board,” the official said, adding the minimum age for the chairperson and the CEO will remain as per the previous act.

The members, as per the changes proposed, will now have a tenure of three years as against the six-year term earlier, the official said.

Sources said since the post of the CEO of Prasar Bharati is vacant at the moment, there is a view in the ministry that the amendments be carried out as soon as possible, possibly through an ordinance.

“It is likely that these amendments will be made through an ordinance,” they said.

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