New Delhi, May 6: Shashi Shekhar Vempati, former CEO of Prasar Bharati, was on Wednesday appointed chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) by the government.
Vempati will succeed Prasoon Joshi, who has been appointed chairman of Prasar Bharati. He will hold the office for three years.
“The government of India, through a notification issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting dated May 6, 2026, has appointed Shri Shashi Shekhar Vempati as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification. He shall hold the office for a period of three years from the date of joining,” a statement issued by the I&B Ministry said.
Consequent upon the elevation of Joshi as chairman of Prasar Bharati, he has stepped down from the position of chairperson, CBFC, leading to the present appointment.
Vempati brings with him extensive experience in media, broadcasting, and public communication and his appointment is expected to strengthen the functioning of the CBFC, the statement said.
An alumnus of IIT Bombay, Vempati is an author and also co-founder of AI4India Org, which works towards democratising access to artificial intelligence technology.
Joshi, a well-known lyricist-poet, served as the CBFC chairperson for over eight years.
The CBFC is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
Films can be publicly exhibited in India only after they have been certified by the CBFC.
The board consists of non-official members and a chairman — all of whom are appointed by the central government — and has its headquarters in Mumbai.
It has nine regional offices, one each in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Cuttack and Guwahati.
The regional offices are assisted in the examination of films by advisory panels. The members of the panels are nominated by the central government by drawing people from different walks of life for a period of two years.
The certification process is in accordance with The Cinematograph Act, 1952, The Cinematograph (certification) Rules, 1983, and guidelines issued by the central government. (PTI)
