CSN challenges revocation of its broadcasting licence

Litigation settled as unqualified restoration of its right

The Carlton Sports Network (CSN) owned by Prime Minister’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa restored its broadcasting licences issued for four frequencies allocated by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).

CSN had filed a Writ Petition in the Court of Appeal challenging the impugned decision during the previous government to revoke its Television Broadcasting Licence.

It cited Parliamentary Reforms & Mass Media Minister Secretary Nimal Bopage, Minister Gayantha Karunatillake ,trcsl and its Director General Sunil S. Sirisena of the former government as Respondents.

Sanjeeva Jayawardane PC with Kaushalya Molligoda, Lakmini Warusevitane and Charitha Rupasinghe instructed by Nisanka Wijesinghe appeared for CSN. Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam appeared for the State.

The case was settled before the Bench comprising Justices Samayawardhane and Arjuna Obeysekera on the terms and conditions agreed upon by the aggrieved petitioner CSN and the new Minister and the new Ministry Secretary.

The new added Minister and new Ministry Secretary have undertaken that the revocation/ cancellation of the Terrestrial Television Broadcasting licence of the CSN shall be forthwith withdrawn. CSN stated in its petition it is engaged in carrying on the business of the operating of a terrestrial television network of the production of television programme content for broadcast.

It claimed it has not violated any of the terms and conditions contained in its licence. It maintained the purported revocation has been resorted to, as a pre-emptive strike, without even affording it the basic right and concomitant safeguard of being issued some form of show cause or intimation of the allegations against it.

It sought the Court to quash the purported decision by the Ministry Secretary and restrain the Secretary from interfering with the operation and function and broadcasts of its television channel.