The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) has asked 90 private satellite and cable television channels to complete their pending fresh empanelment formalities by October 21, 2026, warning that failure to submit the required documents could lead to de-empanelment.

In an advisory issued on October 1, the government advertising agency said the fresh empanelment process for the channels listed in its appendix remains incomplete due to the non-submission of required documents. The latest advisory follows an earlier notice issued by the CBC on August 5.

According to the advisory, the affected channels have been directed to submit the pending documents by uploading them through their respective login accounts on the CBC’s ERP portal. Broadcasters that fail to complete the documentation within the stipulated deadline will face de-empanelment, the bureau cautioned.

The list covers a wide range of television genres and markets, including national and regional news, general entertainment, movies, music, children’s and factual channels. It includes broadcasters operating across several major Indian languages, reflecting the broad scope of the ongoing empanelment exercise.

Among the channels listed by the CBC are Zee Telugu News, News Tamil 24×7, Hindi Khabar, News World, Assam Talks, 1st News, Daily Post and HNN. The appendix also includes entertainment and lifestyle channels such as VH1, Comedy Central, Colors Oriya, Star Gold Select, Star Kiran and Star Vijay Super.

A significant number of channels on the list operate in southern Indian markets. These include Asianet Plus, Asianet HD, Asianet Movies, Sun Music, Sun Life, Udaya News, Udaya TV, Udaya Movies, Gemini TV, Gemini Music, Surya TV, Surya Movies and Surya HD.

Other channels named in the advisory include Sun Music HD, Gemini TV HD, Disney Channel HD, Star Kiran HD, Star Life HD and National Geographic Channel HD, among others.

The CBC has not specified which individual documents are pending for each channel. Instead, broadcasters have been asked to log into their respective accounts on the ERP platform and complete the outstanding requirements.

With the October 21 deadline approaching, the affected broadcasters will now have to close the documentation gaps within the stipulated period to retain their eligibility for CBC empanelment. Channels that fail to comply could be removed from the bureau’s empanelled channel roster.