Pause button: Hong Kong judge puts HKTV licence ruling on hold ahead of government's appeal
Fresh setback for HKTV as court accepts the exercise could be a waste of public resources
In a blow to Hong Kong Television Network's hopes of finally being granted a free-to-air television licence, a judge yesterday temporarily halted his earlier order for the Executive Council to reconsider the station's failed bid.
Granting Exco a stay of execution, Mr Justice Thomas Au Hing-cheung accepted that public resources - such as time and costs - could be wasted if Exco's appeal, scheduled for February 17, was successful or should the appeal court order the licence application process restarted.
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He also noted that his verdict could lead to Exco having to consider three other applications in the run-up to the appeal.
Although he refused to consider a suggestion yesterday by Exco barrister Benjamin Yu SC that his client had strong grounds for winning the appeal, he accepted part of Yu's submissions concerning the public interest.
Au told the station's barrister Jin Pao: "The prejudice for [HKTV] cannot be so significant it overrides the above reasons."
