New Delhi (PTI): Amidst concern that unregulated sting operations carried out by TV channels were intruding the privacy of individuals, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it may set up a body to monitor TV channels and take steps to address the issue.

"The government is also considering setting up a Broadcasting Regulatory Authority to look into the matter of violation by the TV channels," it said in an affidavit.

The Centre was responding to the petition filed by Mahamandaleshwaran Mahyogi Kapil, popularly known as 'Pilot Baba', who had accused TV channels of doctoring the tapes of an alleged sting operation showing him in poor light.

Denying his allegation that government was not concerned to protect the privacy of individuals, the affidavit said "the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and ruled framed thereunder, which provides that all the programmes of satellite TV channels transmitted or retransmitted through cable service are required to adhere to the provisions of the Programme and Advertising Codes".

It further said the Centre has constituted an inter-ministerial committee under the Act with a view to look into the violation of the programme and advertising code.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued orders directing all state government and Union Territories to constitute monitoring committee at the state and district levels to detect and look into the violation of programme and advertising codes apart from complaints received from general public in the matter.

A committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary of the Ministry has been constituted for reviewing the programme and advertising codes prescribes, to modify the code to meet the contemporary community standards, it said.