New Delhi: In a bid to rein in broadcasters to ensure a "smooth" roll over to Conditional Access System (CAS), government today gave a June 15 deadline to cable operators to declare rates of each pay channels or stop beaming them from July 14 when CAS is implemented in the four metros.

A notification issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry also asked cable operators not to transmit channels which were not declared as 'free-to-air or pay' through a public notice by June 15.

"Discounts can be offered but not in a manner that the individual right of choice is affected. Subscribers should not be forced to buy any channel," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.

In other measures to make CAS "consumer friendly", the rules also say cable operators should make provisions for rent and security deposit or refund, warranty, repair and maintenance of set-top boxes, which would be required to access pay channels under CAS.

Asked why the notification addressed the cable operators and not the broadcasters in declaring details about channels, Prasad said the cable operator is the last mile and the rules would indirectly address the broadcasters.

To a query if government planned to put a cap on rates of pay channels, he said, "market forces will determine this".

PTI