RaajjePLUS’ case against MBC scheduled for Tuesday

The first proceedings for RaajjePLUS' case against the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) has been scheduled for Tuesday.

RaajjePLUS had, in November 2017, filed suit against the Commission over its decision to revoke the license granted to the station, seeking to turn MBC’s decision.

The dispute resolution phase will commence at 11:00 am on Tuesday. The case will go to trial if both parties are unable to reach an agreement.

RaajjePLUS began operations on September 8th, and the license was revoked October 25th.

The Commission said that RaajjePLUS license was terminated on the grounds that the company had not begun transmitting in the period provided to it after the license was granted. Therefore, the Commission could not review the case and there were no changes to the status quo that warranted a change to their initial decision.

However, a statement from R Productions claims that it acquired the license from Jotek Private Limited, which operated a channel called ‘Vai TV’ under the license, and therefore claimed that it cannot be terminated on the grounds of no transmission.

Further, R Productions had in September launched RaajjePlus which has been broadcasting via internet protocol television. While the commission's termination of the company’s license states that it had been given broadcasting license to transmit via satellite, R Productions claims that broadcasting laws only require that licensed broadcasters transmit within a 12-month period, and does not specify a format to deliver content on.

RaajjePLUS decided to file a case at the Civil Court after the Maldives Broadcasting Commission refused to review their decision.