| According to sources in the information and broadcasting
ministry, the finance ministry’s views on the issue were not available
till 1 pm on Wednesday. But, it was pointed out, that whatever may
be the stand, the issue would be referred to the election regulator
as the "government does not want to take any steps that would
raise the hackles of the opposition parties or the EC."
This step, some observers felt, is likely to benefit the private
FM players who would gain more time after the deadline of 29 April
for paying up fee for renewal of licence, expires.
Now, if the government refers the issue of licence fee for FM radio
stations to the EC in the first week of May, there is a possibility
that the election regulator may not like to take any stand on the
issue as the last of the votes would be polled on 10 May, which
would leave very little time for a
decision to have any effect on anybody, including the private FM
players.
Why? "As long as the issue is kept referred to various parties,
not even the strictest of bureaucrats could demand licence fee from
private FM companies or compel them to go off the air," a government
source close to the whole issue opined, indicating that the outgoing
government would not like to upset media companies in the last phase
or the slog overs of the election process.
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