New Delhi, April 27: The politicians calling for a ban on Indian Premier League cheerleaders may be out of sync with the Centre, which acknowledges that Indian mindsets about women’s attire are changing.

The Union cabinet has stalled amendments to a two-decade-old law governing the depiction of women in public, fearing the suggested changes might be too prudish and anger rights activists and women.

For instance, the government fears getting dragged to court for curbing women’s employment opportunities. The Maharashtra government had faced this charge after banning women bar dancers — a move being cited by state lawmakers to demand a similar ban on the IPL girls.

The ministry of women and child development has recommended the changes to widen the ambit of the Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986, so that it covers the depiction of women in cyberspace and on modern electronic gadgets.

The law now applies to publications, printed documents, paintings, wrappers, slides, films and television and radio advertisements, but not to email, text messages or the multimedia messaging service (MMS). The ministry also wants to increase the punishment for violation.

But the cabinet has asked the ministry to hold “wider consultations” with women’s groups, NGOs and legal experts to ensure the amendments, if carried out, will not be challenged in court.

Sources said the cabinet has told women and child development minister Renuka Chowdhury that the suggested changes may not be “in tune with the times”.

“The cabinet’s argument was that just as technology has advanced since 1986, when the act was passed, so has the mindset of Indians, including women,” a ministry source said.

The cabinet may be right on the ball — the IPL girls appear to have been a hit with most spectators and TV viewers, with the rest at least prepared to tolerate them.

A cabinet minister confirmed the Centre’s objections to the amendments, telling The Telegraph the act must not interfere with the women’s “right” to express themselves in public.

“The cabinet felt the women and child development ministry must be absolutely sure that women in particular do not object to any attempts to strengthen the act further,” the minister said, referring to a “change in mindsets”.

Sources said the cabinet also expressed concerns that bringing email, text messages and MMS under the act might lead to charges of invasion of privacy or allegations of misuse.

“Technology can be doctored easily. We need safeguards to prevent misuse. We felt the act needed more working on,” the cabinet minister said.

The women and child development ministry has now sent the proposed amendments to the National Commission for Women, which has been told to consult women’s groups.