Following the telecast of the movie Udta Punjab by Shakthi Cable TV, the Puducherry government had issued a notice on Friday asking for an explanation for such an act.

The letter was sent from the office of sub-collector- North in Puducherry.

“A WhatsApp complaint has been received by this office regarding broadcasting of Hindi movie Udta Punjab in your Cable TV on 16.05.2016 which is being released only on 17.06.2016 in the theatres. The act of an unauthorized broadcasting the unreleased movie in the cable TV is purely violation of the programme code of Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995,” it said.

The Cable TV has been asked to submit an explanation within three days and failing to do that, serious action will be initiated against Shakthi Cable TV.

In the small Union Territory of Puducherry alone, there are three Multiple System Operators, or MSOs, and at least 45 TV channels. Most of them are known to play pirated movies in blatant violation of the law.