HC issues notice to Nimbus on delayed telecast of cricket series

New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Nimbus Communications on a petition filed by Prasar Bharti challenging the decision of the single bench to telecast the India-West Indies ODI series in a delayed transmission of seven minutes on Doordarshan(DD).

A division bench headed by Chief Justice M K Sharma asked Nimbus to file its reply by February 9.

Prasar Bharti in a petition challenged the direction of the single bench headed by Justice S K Kaul saying that the interim order was against the government circular directing all private channels to share the live feed of any sports event with Doordarshan (DD) in the country.

On January 23 in an interim order, Justice Kaul had allowed the Prasar Bharti to download the feed of Nimbus Comunications and telecast the India-West Indies ODI series in a delayed transmission of seven minutes on Doordarshan(DD) and broadcast live commentary on the All India Radio(AIR).

Nimbus said it could market the series for Rs 22 crore against the proposed sale of the commercials by the DD for Rs 5.5 crore, said Senior Counsel Harish Salve appearing for the private channel.

Additional Solicitor General(ASG) P P Malhotra apppearing for the the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting submitted that the guidelines of the government to share the feed of any sports event in the country was in public interest.

Senior Counsel Harish Salve appearing for Nimbus communications (NC) said the Government could not force any private channel to share its live feed as it was against the fundamental rights enumerated in the Constitution.

The Nimbus Communications had approached the High Court challenging the Central Government's guidelines to the private channels to share the live feed of the ongoing India-West Indies cricket series with the public broadcaster Prasar Bharti.

UNI