Parliament directs Broadcom to reverse rebroadcasting regulation amendment

A parliamentary committee on Wednesday asked the Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom) to reverse a recent amendment that restricted rebroadcasting to only companies owned by Maldivians, saying the commission does not have the legal authority to do so.

The rules amended by Broadcom in January state:

At a session of the parliamentary regulations committee, members voted to adopt a proposal to direct the commission to reverse the January amendment. 

In July, when Dhiraagu applied for renewal of its rebroadcasting licence, it was told that it could not be granted licences under the new rules. Dhiraagu TV will be forced to discontinue the service once its existing licence expires in January 2023.

Dhiraagu moved the court seeking a judicial review to determine whether the action taken as a result of the rules was within the ambit of law. Dhiraagu has since been granted an interim injunction to ensure that its TV services continue uninterrupted till the court decides on the matter.

Broadcom had earlier told the committee that the change was aimed at facilitating local businesses and that no violations of any law or regulation had been identified.