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Andrew Bonwick
Vice President of Product Development at Relm Insurance
Madhav Sheth
CEO of Ai+ Smartphone
Stephen Rose
CEO Render Networks
The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) March 2017 regulations and tariff order relating to fixation of charges for free and pay television channels. A division bench comprising justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad also upheld the January 31 deadline fixed by the Trai for the implementation of the order. Quoting a Supreme Court verdict, the bench said the Trai’s jurisdiction was not only confined to regulating the operations but also extended to laying terms and conditions for providing services and dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by V Rama Rao.
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The January 31 deadline was fixed by the Trai by invoking its powers under section 36 of the Trai Act and taking into consideration all facts and circumstances.
“It cannot be said that Trai has been acting hastily or implementing its directions in a hurried manner, without taking into account the interest of all the participants. It is not for this court to interfere with the deadline unless it shows that such a decision is completely perverse,” the bench ruled, as reported by PTI.
Referring to the Supreme Court order in BSNL vs Trai and others, it said the apex court had held that the Trai exercised a broad jurisdiction. “Its jurisdiction is not only fixed to regulating operations, but also extends to laying terms and conditions for providing services. They can fix norms and the mode and the manner in which consumers would get services,” the bench said.
