Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha has submitted a complaint to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka, alleging that the television channel Hiru TV has violated the conditions of its broadcasting frequency license.
The complaint, filed under eighteen points, is titled “Complaint regarding the violation of the broadcasting frequency license conditions issued to the television channel ‘Hiru TV’ under Asia Broadcasting Corporation (Private) Limited.”
According to sources, the Minister had already lodged a separate complaint with the Ministry of Mass Media and the Ministry of Health on the 21st, accusing Hiru TV of disseminating false and harmful news based on his voluntary declaration of assets and liabilities. He states that Hiru TV aired a news item on or around 16.04.2026 that distorted and misinterpreted facts, causing significant damage to his reputation and creating a negative public perception.
The Minister notes that he has sent a demand letter through his lawyer seeking Rs. 10 billion in compensation for defamation. He adds that although the channel issued a “correction,” it failed to address the core issue. Despite being informed that the shares mentioned in the declaration belonged to his daughter, Hiru TV continued to report on or around 18.04.2026 that he personally owned the shares, claiming only that they had miscalculated the value.
The Minister emphasizes that television channels operate using frequencies that are public property, under licenses issued by the Ministry of Mass Media and the TRC. As such, broadcasters are legally obligated to adhere to license conditions and uphold responsible media practices. He alleges that Hiru TV acted in violation of both media ethics and the legal conditions of its license.
He therefore requests that the TRC take appropriate action against the channel in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.
(Translated and edited version of an article published by the SATAHAN website)