Telecast ban

In January 2016, the channel received notice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting over its coverage of the Pathankot terrorist attacks, for allegedly violating norms.^[4] On 4 January 2016, while the Indian security forces were still under the counter operations against the terrorist attack committed on 2 January 2016 at the Pathankot Air Force Station, NDTV India's telecast between 12:25 and 12:31 hours (IST) had allegedly revealed "strategically-sensitive information".^[5] On 2 November 2016, the committee set up by the ministry ordered a blackout of the channel on 9 November 2016, prohibiting "transmission or re-transmission for one day on any platform throughout India".^[5] The order also stated that NDTV had revealed strategically-sensitive information, related to the positions of ammunition and armaments at the airbase along with locations of schools and residential areas in the vicinity, thus endangering civilian lives. The coverage was deemed in violation of the Cable TV Network Rules, 1994 that prevent live coverage of anti-terrorist operations.^[5][6][7]

After the channel decided to move to the Supreme Court against the order, got a date of hearing on 5 November 2016, and seemed to receive support from the public over social media and through protests, the government surprisingly put its orders regarding blackout on hold just before the hearing.^[8]