HC dismisses encryption plea for live feed of cricket

The Delhi High Court today dismissed a petition of Nimbus Communication and the BCCI, seeking encryption of the former's live feed of cricket matches to public broadcaster Prasar Bharati.

Dismissing the petition, Justice S Ravindra Bhat said: "There is no legal provision under the Sports Act, Cable TV Network Act or the guidelines to direct for encryption of the live feed."

The order assumes significance in view of the on-going cricket series between India and Pakistan.

In the petition, Nimbus Communication and the Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) had contended that live feed was being picked up by cable operators, resulting in huge revenue losses.

Prasar Bharati, however, had contended that the private broadcasters, who share live feed under the Sports Act (Mandatory Sharing of Feed), did not have legal right to ask for encryption of feed.

On October 22, the High Court had sought the Centre and Prasar Bharati's response to the petition. Nimbus is the official broadcaster of all cricket matches to be played in the country till 2010.

However, the government had earlier brought out an Act which made it mandatory for private broadcasters to share live feed of all ODIs with Doordarshan (DD).