The Appellate Tribunal hasn’t been able come up with a decision on the case filed in by the Chairman of the Singye Group of Companies, Ugen Tsechup Dorji. He had filed a case against the Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority after the Authority failed to issue a licence to set up private television station.
The Appellate Tribunal says there is no ground for appeal because BICMA has not rejected to issue the license.
The presiding officer of the Appellate Tribunal, Thinley Yoezer, said without BICMA’s concrete yes or no, there is nothing the tribunal can do. He said since the case is pending, there is no basis for them to take up the matter.
Ugen Tsechup has submitted an appeal letter to the tribunal again, this morning.
The Chairman of Singye Group of Companies said the approval of license could not come through, after a blame game started between BICMA and the Ministry of Information and Communications. He said the BICMA’s Expression of Interest (EOI) never mentioned anything about the BICMA Act then.
“To tell me that my license can be issued only once the BICMA Act comes into force is not a valid justification for refusing a private TV license because of the fact that the EOI document does not state the license approval is subject to BICMA Act, so you cannot bring a rule after something has come out to impose it on a older document and you can’t do that.”
Ugen Tsechup said the existing situation allows him to have a TV license because he has complied by the terms, norms and conditions of the EOI. “Why do I have to wait for a BICMA Act? For what purpose? Why do I wait for an Act later on for me to get a license now? I don’t understand. I only see it as a delaying tactic and interference with the freedom of media”.
He added the cost to prepare the Expression of Interest and some miscellaneous cost amounted to more than Nu. 750,000. He said BICMA should be held accountable and liable and has to reimburse the money spent.
Ugen Tsechup’s company had qualified to set up private television station in the country. He said he wasn’t issued license despite fulfilling the terms and conditions required. BICMA has failed to issue the licence even after a month and a half following the scrutiny of the applicant’s proposal.
The BICMA’s expression of interest states that after scrutinising the whole process, license would be issued in two weeks time, if eligible.
BBS got in touch with BICMA but they refused to comment.
