Telecom firms with cancelled licences must end operations: SC
15 Feb 2013
The Supreme Court today ordered that telecom companies whose permits were revoked last year and which did not participate or win spectrum in the fresh auction in November last year must stop operations immediately forthwith''.
"The telecom companies which have been unsuccessful in the bidding and those after the cancellation of the licences did not participate in the fresh auction are directed to cease continuing of operations forthwith," the court said.
The court also ruled that telecom companies that were successful in the fresh auction should be asked to start their services in the respective circles immediately.
A bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and K S Radhakrishnan directed that those telecom companies which were allowed to continue operation after scrapping of their licences by 2 February 2012 judgement will have to pay the reserve price fixed for the licences in the first round of the auction held in November 2012.
The apex court through its interim orders had extended the deadline for them to continue with operations.
In an important clarification, the court stated that the February 2012 judgement will not be applicable to telecom companies holding the spectrum in the 900 MHz band.