The government on Friday gave Star another fortnight's extension for temporary uplinking of its news channel, even as the Inter-Ministerial Group is expected to finalise its views on the matter when it meets on Saturday.

The extension, effective from on Friday, was given two days after the deadline for the previous one expired on Wednesday night.

However, the channel was not affected in view of a court stay restraining VSNL from switching off its signals.

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Seeing Star as a test case for Government's future policy on uplinking, the IMG has been examining if the uplinking guidelines need further tightening, sources said adding the issue would go to a Group of Ministers.

With the Information and Broadcasting Ministry still unsatisfied over Star's responses to concerns raised by it, indications are that the Inter-Ministerial Group's recommendations may not go in favour of Star's application to uplink its 24-hour news channel from India.

After several rounds of meetings with representatives of the Star Group and a series of queries and responses, the Government is not convinced that Star's application is in line with the uplinking guidelines in letter and spirit.

Sources said there are concerns about editorial control, hiring of personnel, shell companies which are new and foreign owned and nature of Media Content and Communications Services, floated by Star to meet uplinking norms.

Star has been on temporary uplinking permissions after the June 26 deadline for meeting the uplinking guidelines stipulating a 26 per cent cap on foreign equity expired.