The Digital Publishers Content Grievances Council (DPCGC) on June 19 issued an order against ULLU to take down or make suitable edits to the content streamed on the video-service that the Council has found to be “obscene” and “objectionable”. The order was issued by Justice AK Sikri, Chairperson of the Grievance Redressal Board at the DPCGC—a self-regulatory body (SRB) for online curated content providers recognised by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. The Board has asked the streaming service provider to ensure that the content on its platform strictly complies with the Code of Ethics provided under the IT Rules 2021, and must also pass the tests of obscenity and pornography in India before it's transmitted. What’s the case about? The order comes in response to a complaint filed by Satish Waghela who has claimed that certain episodes of web-series namely Charamsukh, Polangtod, Secretary, and Jane Anjane streamed on ULLU show obscenity and nudity, which according to him, are against the “law of the land” and the IT Rules. Waghela has demanded that the web series be taken off air. How did ULLU respond? According to the DPCGC order, ULLU denied the accusations and stated that the platform offers a variety of genres including drama, horror, suspense, and thriller among many others, which are particularly for audiences above the age of 18 years. The platform pointed out that its viewership is restricted to adults who possess “adequate maturity and discretion” to decide whether or not to watch a particular show.…
