Del HC: Pre-SCN Consultation is Unnecessary in Large-Scale GST Fraud Cases with Complex Transactions  ||  Calcutta HC: Unilaterally Appointed Arbitrator Violates Natural Justice and Sets Aside the Award  ||  Raj HC Upholds Padmesh Mishra’s AAG Appointment, Noting Advocacy Skill isn’t Tied to Experience  ||  Supreme Court: Photographing a Woman not Engaged in Private Acts Does not Constitute Voyeurism  ||  SC Directs UPSC to Permit Scribe Changes Till Seven Days Before Exams and Review Screen-Reader Use  ||  Madras HC: Freedom of Religion Cannot Extend to Disturbing Peace Within Temple Premises  ||  Delhi HC: Lokpal Cannot Form a Prima Facie View on Corruption Without Hearing The Official  ||  MP High Court: DRT Cannot Restrict or Impose Conditions on a Person's Foreign Travel  ||  Bombay HC: Results of Dec 2 And 20 Local Body Election Must be Declared Together  ||  Delhi HC: Employment Disputes Cannot be Treated as Commercial Cases under the Act    

Bharti Airtel Ltd. and Ors. v. Union of India (UOI) and Ors. - (14 May 2015)

Hitting the right wavelength

MANU/SC/0613/2015

Media and Communication

In a case determining if mobile service providers were owed a right of extension of licence by the Government, the Supreme Court held in the negative. Justice Chelameswar's discussion traversed the conflicting responsibilities and obligations of the Union in the attribution of pubic resources: to get an adequate price for grant of access to spectrum for telecommunications, while ensuring that the same was achieved by a transparent, non-arbitrary and non-discriminatory process. He noted that though the licences were in the nature of largesse from the State, their distribution would be required to meet a rational policy, for both the government and the licencee. The Court adjudged that the government's choice of an auction was an equitable way of achieving this objective as it would allow price determination by market forces.

Relevant : Whereas the last few years may record squabbling between the Government, and its 'largesse', on the one hand and mobile service providers on the other, its people have given Indian telecom unabated growth. Gross revenue in the telecom sector for quarter ending March, 2014 was Rs. 60716.21 crores, while for March, 2015 it rose to Rs. 65226.73 crores. The number of telephone subscribers too increased from 970.97 million at the end of December, 2014 to 996.49 million at the end of March, 2015. Bharti recorded the highest net addition of 8.83 million subscribers followed by Idea Cellular at 7.27 million. Meanwhile, wireline connections continued its downward slide as subscribers declined from 28.50 million in March, 2014 to 26.59 million in March, 2015.

Tags : TELECOM   AUCTION   LICENCE   CONFLICTING AIMS  

Share :        

Disclaimer | Copyright 2025 - All Rights Reserved