Setback for Unitech? '2G auction by June not feasible'

While Telenor’s India partner Unitech has demanded a 2G auction in another four months, telecom secretary R Chandrashekhar says the timeline depends on TRAI recommendations and will atleast take another 400 days.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, Chandrashekhar said the Supreme Court has already been informed that the auction will take 400 days.Inter-ministerial committee on the 2G auction has already started its ground work, said Chandrashekhar. “There could be a presidential reference made but the Cabinet will take the final decision,” he said.

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Mobile operator Uninor moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday asking it to direct the government to auction or 2G spectrum by June 2, pitting it against the government’s petition that sought 400 days to complete the auction process.

The Supreme Court had, on February 2, cancelled 122 mobile permits issued by former telecom minister A Raja in January 2008 belonging to eight telecom companies and asked the department of telecommunications to redistribute them through fresh auctions within four months. Uninor was the worst affected since all its permits were annulled.