Raja, government seek review of 2G verdict

Jailed former telecom minister A Raja, the central government and CDMA services provider Sistema Shyam Teleservices have separately moved the Supreme Court seeking review of the verdict that cancelled the licences allotted to 122 firms in the 2008 2G spectrum sale.

Moving the review petition in the SC on Friday, the government asked the apex court to reconsider its earlier ruling barring the government from allocating radio spectrum on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Raja also moved the SC seeking a review of the verdict on 2G licence cancellation and his indictment, saying it violated the ''principles of natural justice'' and ''judicial norms'' and that he was indicted without being heard.

In his petition Raja also noted that the findings of the verdict are ''bound to prejudice'' his defence in the trial of 2G spectrum allocation scam.

''The judgment of this court in as much as it condemns his action and inaction as telecom minister in numerous places is in violation of the basic principles of fair play and justice and affording him an opportunity of being heard before he is condemned,'' Raja's counsel said in his plea.

''Natural justice requires that if a matter is decided against a person by a judicial or quasi-judicial body, that person should be given an opportunity of being heard and a pronouncement which condemns a person without hearing him would be void. The judgement of the court in the present case has not observed these principles of natural justice and judicial norms and fair play in condemning a person without hearing him or giving him an opportunity of being heard,'' he said.