The Indian government, fearing voter wrath in national elections due in 2004, is likely to put on hold the rollout of a controversial new cable television access system, reports said Thursday.
The Pioneer and other newspapers quoted Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as saying he was "anguished" about the way the system was being implemented.
Consumer groups have been up in arms over the new system which would oblige viewers to buy set-top boxes to watch pay channels. Up to now cable subscribers have been able to watch all cable channels through a cable laid to their homes.
"The inevitable rollback of the Conditional Access System (CAS) is just a few days away," said the Pioneer.
Broadcasters have been clamouring for CAS to plug subscription leaks in India which has among the world's largest number of cable subscribers. Nearly half of the country's estimated 80 million TV sets have cable connections.
The reports came as New Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced she would oppose the national government's plans to implement CAS, saying broadcasters would use it to cheat consumers.
"We will not countenance efforts being made by cable operators and multi-system operators (broadcasters) to fleece consumers in the name of CAS," Dikshit said after a meeting with Prasad late Wednesday.
Dikshit belongs to India's main opposition Congress party, which rules half of India's 28 states. She was accompanied to the meeting by Vijay Kumar Malhotra, a senior leader of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
"Both asked the minister for a postponement of CAS in Delhi until people found it acceptable," The Statesman newspaper said.
Consumer groups say monthly cable bills would double under CAS. They are also angered by the 2,000 rupees (40 dollars) price tag for the TV set-top boxes needed to use the system, while cable operators say CAS would kill their industry.
Groups in Vajpayee's coalition government have warned that implementation of the system would be deeply unpopular ahead of national elections that could be held as early as April or May.
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