Sistema seeks permit to continue telecom services in India

Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL), majority owned by Russia's Sistema, has written to the government seeking a temporary licence to continue its telecom services.

"In the event of any negative order from the Supreme Court, we would request you to issue us temporary licences till such time the auction process is completed and the spectrum along with new licences are issued to SSTL," the company said in a letter to the secretary of the Department of Telecom (DoT).

Last week, the apex court had asked telecom operators whose licences were cancelled by it in February 2012, and who failed to win spectrum or did not participate in the November auction, to close operations immediately.

According to data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the company had over 12.6 million customers in 21 service areas that could be impacted by the Supreme Court order.

SSTL, however, said that the Supreme Court order of 15 February does not apply to it and a separate order is to be issued for the company. It has informed DoT that the company's counsel has said in the court "SSTL is desirous of participating in the upcoming auction".

SSTL said that it did not participate in last November's auction as the company was awaiting the decision of the apex court on its curative petition, which was pending hearing at the time of auction. In the curative petition filed in May, the company had sought exemption from the Supreme Court judgement of 2 February 2012 but the court rejected it on 14 February 2013.

An SSTL spokesperson, after last week's order, had said, "The Supreme Court is going to give a separate order on the same (stopping of services). The said order is awaited."