Report on radio programme to be tendered to Court

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

COLOMBO: The report on the inquiry into the radio programme Sumali Samaga Peya Thunak will be tendered to Court, Additional Solicitor General Sathya Hettige told the Court of Appeal yesterday.

The report will be tendered to Court on January 22, Additional Solicitor General Sathya Hettige informed Court that a committee would be appointed to inquire into the matter within two weeks.

Hettige also gave an undertaking that the frequency allocated to the private radio operator who broadcast the programme would not be alienated. The petitioner Colombo Communication Ltd. expressed concern that the respondents were taking steps to allocate its frequency to a third party.

The Bench comprised Justices K. Sripavan and Eric Basnayake.

The petitioner cited the Minister of Mass Media and Information, Secretary to the Ministry, the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC), the Chairman and the Director General of TRC and the Attorney General as respondents.

The petitioner filed the writ application seeking to quash the decision to suspend the radio channel Raja FM by the Minister of Mass Media and Information on the basis that the content of the Programme "Sumali Samga Peya Thunak," meaning "three hours with Sumali" was obscene, vulgar, morally and culturally offensive.

The petitioner alleged that the respondents without suspending the identified programmes had unlawfully suspended the broadcasting of the entire channel.

Romesh de Silva PC with Nihal Jayawardane instructed by Upendra Gunasekera appeared for the petitioner.

Additional Solicitor General Sathya Hettige PC appeared for the respondents.

The application was put off for January 22, 2007.