HC says it won’t look into dual spectrum allocation policy

The Delhi High Court today said it will not go into the issue of government’s dual spectrum allocation policy, which was upheld by the sectoral tribunal Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said it will not go into the issue of government’s dual spectrum allocation policy, which was upheld by the sectoral tribunal Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

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“High Court is not a proper platform to look into the issue, which has been decided by TDSAT, as it might be challenged in the Supreme Court,” said a division bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

The court’s remark came while hearing a bunch of PILs challenging the Centre’s spectrum allocation policy, including its first-come-first-served policy.

The bench, however, stated that the government would have to answer why new entrants from different sectors were allotted spectrum, which they immediately sold to some other companies at exorbitant prices.

“We have to put questions to them (government),” the bench said.

The petitioner pointed out that some real estate companies with no experience in telecom sector were allotted spectrum, which they sold off in Rs 10,000 crore to other companies within a month of getting it.