NEW DELHI: A section of broadcasters is contemplating taking the legal route to challenge the 15 January 2004 notification of the new broadcasting sheriff - the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

The notification has frozen the prices of cable services in CAS and non CAS areas in the country as on 26 December 2003, till such time as a final view can be taken on the various issues relating to the implementation of conditional access.

The Indian Broadcasting Foundation, which is meeting today in Delhi, is also likely to mull over this move as also the latest developments, including CAS and the formation of a regulator.

According to industry sources, the section that is pushing for challenging the TRAI notification on price freeze feels that the move and the cut-off date is "arbitrary".

In this regard, some legal opinion too has been obtained, the sources said. However, no final view has been taken on the matter as yet and a clearer picture may arise after the IBF meeting, they added.

Stay tuned for more details.