The Hindu Business Line : Madras HC directs Ten Sports to share it with DD

AT long last, the Madras High Court came to the rescue of millions of cricket lovers in India by giving a clear direction to the foreign sports channel, Ten Sports, to transmit through Doordarshan, a Government of India undertaking, the forthcoming Indo-Pak cricket series, commencing in Lahore on Saturday. While doing so, Doordarshan should retain the Ten Sports' logo and honour its advertisement contracts.

The First Bench, comprising the Chief Justice, Mr B. Subhashan Reddy, and Mr Justice M. Thanickachalam, in its order on Friday ruled that the liability to pay the amount as between the Prasar Bharati and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on the one hand and the Ten Sports on the other and the quantum thereof, shall be worked out during the final hearing of the public interest petitions filed by Citizen Consumer & Civic Action Group and Krishnaswamy Associates, Chennai.

In its eight-page interim order, the Bench held that the third respondent (Ten Sports), was a commercial venture, but "indisputably its right is subservient to the larger interest of the largest democracy in the world''. Neither could the court deny the fundamental rights to the viewers in India, nor could it forget the commercial rights of the third respondent. Even though Ten Sports had acquired global rights, including India, respondents 1 and 2 (Prasar Bharati and TRAI) could not be allowed to be silent spectators insofar as the third respondent was concerned. There was a prima facie case of fundamental rights of freedom and speech made out by the petitioners, but that alone was not sufficient to grant the relief pleaded for.

More Stories on : Radio/TV | Sports | Courts/Legal Issues

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
New wholesale price index series to be introduced

Will Indo-Pak bonhomie open up export of medicines?

Catch first match live on DD
Decision on other matches later; SC to hear case on Monday

Madras HC directs Ten Sports to share it with DD

Tractor industry grows 45 pc in Jan-Feb period

New coins test National Institute of Design's mettle

ICICI Bank gets shareholders' nod for public issue