“I am a supporter of press freedom,” said Minister Rijal talking to eKantipur on Wednesday, “I will not let the registration be revoked, I am knowing the legal process.”

Minister Rijal said that he was unaware of the whole incident. “I was unaware of the situation as the letter was sent to the television from secretariat level as per the law,” he said.

The Information Minister said that the procedure was an automatic legal procedures and there were no ill intentions towards the channel.

Likewise, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Communication Puroshottam Prasad Tiwari said that the licence of Avenues television hadn’t been revoked. “Who has revoked it? Where has it been annulled? It is in process, the whole matter is in the renewal process and it hasn’t been finalsed,” he said.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Television Broadcasters Nepal (TBN), an umbrella body of private televisions, through a press statement had condemned the government move to revoke the licence of Avenues Television, terming it as irresponsible act.

Spokesperson Tiwari said that a letter had been sent to the television regarding unpaid renewal amount and it shouldn’t be deemed as revoking the licence.

Meanwhile, CEO of Avenues Television Bhaskarraj Rajkarnikar said that he doesn’t want to prolong the dispute as the Minister for Information and Communication wanted to correct the government’s decision. “I don’t want to stretch the matter further, the Information Minister has said that he will correct the decision,” he said.

Rajkarnikar said the Ministry had sent a letter stating that the licence had been annulled and couldn’t be renewed due to some issue four months back. “We had already deposited the required amount to the government through the bank. But due to bank procedures the government received the amount only after four days the deadline passed," he said.