NEW DELHI: Contrary signals seem to be emanating from the government on conditional access system (CAS).
India's information and broadcasting ministry officials say that CAS rollout is on schedule, but the prime minister is understood to have conveyed to the I&B minister today that while implementing any policy decision the interest 
of the consumer should be kept in mind.
Coming out of a meeting with the Prime Minister AB Vajpayee, India's information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today told journalists that the prime minister has said that the interest of the consumer should be kept into account, while implementing a policy decision.
Does this mean that deferment of CAS deadline is likely? Looks not, if Prasad and his ministry's secretary are to be believed.
To some journalists, Prasad, reportedly denied any deferment, while I&B ministry secretary Pawan Chopra said, "As of now, everything is on schedule."
If the interest of the consumer is to be kept in mind, then the deferment of the 14 July deadline looks a certainty. Will Prasad have the guts to stand by what he has said earlier on sticking to the 14 July deadline, even while safeguarding the consumer's interest?
A tough call to make for Prasad.