New Delhi: The Supreme Court had allowed for the auction of 2G spectrum on Thursday. The auction had been scheduled to start from March 4, on the condition that the results will not be finalized without the court’s permission.
The apex court had decided that the writ petitions moved by telecom companies in the Karnataka, Allahabad and Delhi high courts will be transferred to Supreme Court, and ordered no court would proceed with hearing of petitions related to the auction. The apex court had give its decision after hearing the government’s appeal for two days.
The order covers the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Authority (TDSAT) as well.
The Supreme Court will hear all the transferred petitions on March 26.
It was further clarified that the telecom companies participating in the auction will not claim any benefit on the basis of equities and the order will be published on the website to avoid such claims.
The Bench headed by judge Dipak Misra stayed the Tripura High Court’s February 12 order, against which the government had moved the Supreme Court. The high court had allowed telecom majors like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Telecom to offer two bids for a total of 8.8 MHz in the Northeast circle.
Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi argues Airtel and Reliance Telecom had been repeatedly trying to retain their 20-year licences, which were to expire in December.
He said the auction of spectrum was a matter of policy, with the objective of fetching maximum revenue to the exchequer. The court should not interfere in technical and policy matters.
The telecom companies had been represented by senior counsel P Chidambaram and A M Singhvi supported the high court order allowing them to make two applications, split into 5 MHz and 4.4 MHz.
Bureau Report
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