TDSAT defers Idea hearing to Feb 12, refuses plea for stay on LoIs

New Delhi, Feb 6 (UNI) Telecom tribunal TDSAT today deferred the decision to accord top priority status to Idea Cellular's GSM license to February 12, even as it rejected a plea by the GSM operator to stay the process of spectrum allocation to new applicants.

Citing example of the submission made by the Solicitor General on January 31, Idea Cellular's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi was of the view that the tribunal should stay the processing of LoIs.

However, counsel for Department of Telecom Sanjay Hegde said the process of issuing LoIs has already started with the government already issuing more than half of the applications for telecom licenses.

TDSAT chairman Justice Arun Kumar then declined to pass an interim order to stay the entire process.

The tribunal also rejected the Aditya Birla group controlled firm's request to put a hold on the process of allotment of to nine firms, till the next hearing on the spectrum issue.

UNI PBB BJR DB2044