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TV licence issued to Australian company
By Harinda Vidanage
The Ministry of Information and Telecommunication has issued a new TV broadcasting licence to an Australian-based company allegedly through the influence of a senior official connected to the President's House, The Sunday Times learns.

Nihal Epa Seneviratne, a director of this company, confirmed that his company had been issued a TV broadcasting licence, but declined to give details.

The issuing of the licence comes in the wake of the Information and Telecommunication Ministry canceling the TV broadcasting licence of the Asia Broadcasting Corporation (Pvt) Ltd. The licence was cancelled just before Lakshman Kadirgamar was sworn in as the new minister.

Ministry Secretary Tilak Ranaviraja confirmed that after he took over duties, two to three broadcasting licences had been issued. Mr. Ranaviraja in a statement issued earlier said the ministry had cancelled the ABC licence as the company was not making use of it for more than eight years and the cancellation was a 'routine administrative action'.

But, the ABC has challenged the decision in courts andobtained an interim order.The Court of Appeal will take up the case on March 1.

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