The central government on Tuesday told the Madras high court that the Indo-Pak cricket series, which was part of friendship building measures between the two countries, had generated tremendous enthusiasm and people cannot be deprived of viewing it on TV.
Arguing on a public interest litigation seeking a direction to TRAI to make telecasting rights of the series available to Prasar Bharati, Additional Solicitor General V T Gopalan, appearing on behalf of the centre, said that if the private Ten Sports channel came out with an agreeable solution the centre would consider it.
Charging Ten Sports, which has acquired the rights for telecasting the series in India, with looking at telecasting the series only with a commercial view, he claimed that 60 per cent of the country's TV viewers depended on Doordarshan.
Appearing on behalf of Ten Sports, senior advocate and former Attorney General K Parasaran admitted it was a commercial venture and claimed that Prasar Bharati had not bid for the rights to telecast the series.
Pointing out that the Ten Sports and the Pakistan Cricket Board had entered into a contract over telecasting one-dayers and Test match series commencing from March 13, he wondered how the petitioner, Citizens Consumer and Civic Action Group, could interfere and plead with Prasar Bharati to negotiate with Ten Sports.
Parasaran said that Prasar Bharati could negotiate with Ten Sports but should not demand the rights to telecast the matches.
The contract was a package, which included viewership and advertisements and had to be taken into account in totality, he contended and added that there was delay on the part of the petitioners in approaching the court.
In its petition, the Citizens Consumer forum contended that 'it is only fit and proper that every Indian has free and unrestricted access to the series.'
Following implementation of Conditional Access System in Chennai in September last year, only TV viewers possessing set-top boxes would be able to view the series.
The public would be put to great hardship and lose access to 'a very major sporting event', the forum said, pointing out that the cricket matches would be available only to those subscribing to pay channels.
"Failure of the centre and Prasar Bharati to ensure this will amount to infringement of fundamental rights and consequently be illegal and arbitrary."
The arguments would continue on Wednesday.
