Dismissing News Editor without a disciplinary inquiry – HiruTV admits

Borella Labor Tribunal Judge U. Dalpadadu yesterday (22) ordered that the case regarding the dismissal of a news editor who worked for Asia Broadcasting Corporation Pvt. Ltd. without conducting a disciplinary inquiry be heard on 4^th June.

The judge ordered that the witness in the case be summoned to the court on that day and informed that the evidence would be taken on that day and conclude the cross-examining.

The Human Resources manager of Asia Broadcasting Corporation (Pvt) Ltd appeared in court with a lawyer when the case was called yesterday. The company informed that it did not appear in court last day as no notification was received and the court ruled that it is unacceptable.

It was mentioned at the court that even if the employees were late for work and they were on duty on that day, it would be declared as an unpaid holiday and their salaries are deducted.

The lawyer who appeared for the news editor said that the news editor had been fired even without conducting a disciplinary inquiry, for releasing a video on social media.

In April last year, a video was circulated on social media showing the HiruTV channel holding a New Year celebration defying quarantine laws. The news editor has been fired, alleging that the video was released on social media by him.

The news editor later said that he had been in the newsroom that day, and that the video had been shot by a make-up artist, and that they have feared that the crowd would be infected by the program, which was being run violating quarantine laws. It was later reported that the make-up artist’s personal phone had been taken from the company and illegally held in their custody, and that the make-up artist had also been fired after taking evidence against the news editor.

The Judge instructed the lawyers to be properly prepared for the case as this is a case of loss of employment and taking more dates would prejudice the involved parties.