Bombay HC reserves verdict on pleas against TRAI's direction
Bombay High Court in a turn of event has reserved the verdict on the several pleas against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for introducing new tariffs which can affect the consumers and also mobile operators
The verdict was supposed to arrive yesterday but was extended to August 24 by the bench comprising Justices Amjad Sayed and Anuja Prabhudessai. The Solicitor General representing the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Tushar Mehta has said that the tariffs will not be imposed until August 25.
He also further attributed that the TRAI will wait for the verdict which will determine whether to go ahead with the implementation of the tariffs which he has given as an oral assurance to the Bombay High Court.
The new Tariff order was issued in January of this year and imposes lower fees and also a price cap for the subscription of pay channels which will be based on the new tariffs.
The petitioners have said that this is a violation of the fundamental rights. The petition was heard by the bench from the starting of February and march until the court was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 24, in a move to implement the new tariffs the TRAI has asked the broadcasters to implement the new regulations and tariffs or else they will face the consequences.
The Broadcasters also included this order which was challenged along with previous plea saying that this order is violating the right of the High Court and that this case was sub judicious asn required the verdict of the High Court regarding the implementation.
The TRAI on the other hand said that there were no orders passed to regulate the implementation of the said tariff and there were no further orders given. This case hearings are still going on and the final judgment will be given on August 24 according to the Bombay High Court
