The Information and Broadcasting ministry on Friday asked all private television channels to adhere to the content norms and emphasised that no programme should criticise, malign or slander any individual or certain groups.

The advisory comes in the wake of actor Rakul Preet Singh’s plea in the Delhi high court, alleging that defamatory programmes were being run against her in connection with the drugs probe related to the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

In its advisory, the I&B ministry said, on various occasions, it has issued advisories to TV channels to broadcast content adhering to the Programme and Advertising Codes under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

As per the Code, no programme should criticise, malign or slander any individual in person or certain groups, segments of social, public and moral life of the country, it said.