RaajjePLUS' case against MBC fails dispute resolution stage, sent to trial

RaajjePLUS' case against the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) has been forwarded to trial, having failed to reach a solution in the Civil Court’s dispute resolution stage.

R Productions 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. It noted that the license was revoked against broadcasting rules and regulations.

RaajjePLUS began operations on September 8th, and the license was revoked October 25th.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. It said that the license issued to R Production does not allow it to provide services via ITV, claiming that it had been given broadcasting license to transmit via satellite.

While the commission's termination of the company’s license states that it had been given broadcasting license to transmit via satellite, R Productions sayss that broadcasting laws only require that licensed broadcasters transmit within a 12-month period, and does not specify a format to deliver content on.

While R Production had requested MBC to review its decision, the request was denied.

A hearing in the case was held at Civil Court’s dispute resolution stage on Wednesday, where the state refused to reverse MBC’s decision, instead seeking to send the case to trial.

Hence the case has now been forwarded for prosecution.