Interim order issued against LCSN preventing rebroadcast of Indian Star TV channels

By S.S. Selvanayagam

The Commercial High Court of Colombo issued an interim order preventing the Lanka Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Network Ltd. (LCSN) from rebroadcasting the Star TV channel of Star India Ltd, Mumbai.

High Court Judge Ruwan Fernando issued this interim order pursuant to a civil lawsuit initiated by the Plaintiff Star India Ltd. under the Intellectual Property Act.

The plaintiff Star India Ltd. is the owner of the popular TV channels Star Plus HD, Star Sports HD2, Star Sports HD1, National Geographic HD, Star Movies Action, Star Movies HD, Star World HD and Star World Premier HD.

The plaintiff sought interim relief against the defendant LCSN which was broadcasting the channel in dispute.

It complained that the defendant was broadcasting Star channels without the authorisation of the plaintiff.

It contested that the rebroadcasting of the Star channels by the defendant LCSN was unlawful and an infringement of the Intellectual Property Act. It maintained that the Star channels were telecast using uplinking signals from India through satellites with the approval of the Indian Government and that any party which wished to broadcast Star channels should obtain a licence from the plaintiff to downlink signals through satellites.

Manoj Bandara, with Dhanushka Dissanayake, instructed by Sudath Perera Associates, appeared for the plaintiff Star India Ltd. while Thishya Weragoda with Chinthaka Sugathapala and Pulasthi Rupasinghe appeared for the defendant LCSN.