Kerala TRP manipulation row reaches Lok Sabha; Centre seeks police report

New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked the Kerala Police to submit a preliminary report following media allegations that a regional news channel bribed an employee of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to rig Television Rating Points (TRPs).

The development was disclosed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, where the government confirmed that it has taken cognisance of the allegations and has asked the Director General of Police (DGP), Kerala, for details, including action taken on a First Information Report (FIR) reportedly filed in the case. However, the Centre stopped short of confirming any forensic audit, high-level investigation, or punitive action against the channel or BARC officials at this stage.

Responding to an unstarred question by MPs Adv Dean Kuriakose and K Sudhakaran, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr L Murugan said the Ministry had noted reports claiming that a television channel was engaged in manipulating ratings by bribing a BARC employee. 

The MPs had also flagged allegations of funds being routed through cryptocurrency and sought clarity on whether the government planned to suspend or revoke the channel’s uplinking or downlinking permissions.

While the government did not address specific claims related to cryptocurrency transactions or the alleged background of the channel’s promoters, it underlined that television ratings in India are governed by the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India, 2014, which mandate secrecy of panel homes and a transparent and accountable measurement system.

The minister said the government has already moved to tighten the ratings framework. Draft amendments to the policy guidelines were issued on July 2, 2025, for public consultation, with the stated objective of enhancing transparency, improving accuracy of ratings data, and better reflecting regional viewing patterns. A revised draft was released on November 6, 2025, after reviewing stakeholder feedback.

The response indicates that while the Centre has formally acknowledged the allegations, enforcement action will depend on inputs from state authorities and the outcome of ongoing policy reforms. For now, the matter remains at the stage of information-gathering, even as concerns over the integrity of the television ratings ecosystem, particularly in regional markets, return to the spotlight.