General: Doordarshan for approval and the decision regarding such approval will be taken by the Directorate General: Doordarshan and it is only after approval of a programme, Doordarshan Directorate will enter into an agreement with the applicant. Further, as per Clause K: ‘Payments’, payment of 50% of the total budget for a programme was to be paid on signing of agreement and script approval. In the present case, as per the recommendations of the second expert/reconsideration committee, the scripts/programmes of the petitioners were not recommended as approved. The amount as claimed by the petitioners was payable only on signing of agreement and script approval. Even otherwise, the empanelment of the petitioner Nos. 17 & 18 would not entitle them to any right to produce a commissioned programme. It is further pertinent to note that, even if, earlier recommendations given by reconsideration committee on 16.08.2011 for the scripts of “ Dard Vicharyain De-Serial Punjabi” submitted by petitioner-Prem Chopra and “ Gardish-Serial (Urdu) ” submitted by petitioner-Tarun Verman, approving the same for telecast in terms of the then existing guidelines is considered, then also, it is noted that the said recommendations were not put before Directorate General: Doordarshan for approval for entering into an agreement with the contesting petitioners in terms of Clause G which provided for ‘Approval’. Therefore, even for earlier recommendations of reconsideration committee, the claim for release of 50% of the total budget cannot be sustained as the payment for the programme in terms of Clause K (Payments) was to be done on signing of agreement and script approval. Fulfilment of both the requirements , i.e., signing of agreement and script approval, was sine qua non as per the then extant Guidelines.
