HC notices to Govt on policy of spectrum allocation

New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Centre to explain its policy regarding the spectrum allocation by December 10.

A bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice S Murlidhar sought response from the government on a petition challenging the policy. The Court issued notice to the Centre and fixed the matter for further hearing on December 10.

The petition, filed by an NGO Telecom Watchdog, contended that the government allotted the spectrum without following any policy and cellular operators were provided excess spectrum without charging them for the scarce resource since 2001.

The NGO wanted that the government should withdraw the excess spectrum from the operators by applying the tougher of the two spectrum allocation norms, suggested by TRAI and the TEC.

Refusing to issue notices to the cellular companies, the High Court preferred to hear the government's response first.

Another petition is pending in the High Court, which had alleged large scale corruption in the allocation of spectrum by allocating spectrum to the chosen few on the basis of first come first policy.

UNI SNG SW HS1903