State-run Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corp. (SLRC), Independent Television Networks and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp. (SLBC) challenged the independent election chief on Tuesday, over his decision to takeover the media institutions.
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rnElection Chief, Dayananda Dissanayake appointed a competent authority endash W D L Perera endash to run the media institutions until polls end on Friday. rn
rnDissanayake defended his move saying the state electronic media were highly biased towards President Chandrika Kumaratungas United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA).rn
rnThe Court on Wednesday also turned down a request to suspend Dissanayakes guidelines to all media organistions.rn
rnHowever, the three-member bench comprising Justices Hector Yapa, T B Weerasuriya and C N Jayasinghe, gave the petitioners leave to proceed with the case.rn
rnAt Wed.s hearing the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) also intervened in the case. So far Ms. Sunila Abeysekera and P Sarvanamuttu of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence,