Quashed telecom licencees allowed to operate till Feb 4

Supreme Court today allowed mobile phone carriers, whose permits were due to be revoked this week as per an earlier court order, to continue services until it hears the case next on February 4, a lawyer on the case said.

The Supreme Court on February 4 is going to decide whether the companies which did not participate in the November auctions, should be granted further extension .

According to CNBC-TV18, Supreme Court has sought information from the government on two aspects - pricing and the number and names of the companies, which did not participate in the November auctions.

After the court cancelled 122 telecom licences in February 2012, it allowed affected operators to operate for four months. On November 27, the court said all operators that continued services beyond four months after licences were cancelled will have to pay an additional sum, but did not specify an amount.

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The telecom ministry had argued before the court that allowing the carriers to operate until the next airwave auction, due in March, will help generate more interest in the auction after the government failed to sell all available spectrum in an auction last November.

Monday’s court order will help Russian conglomerate Sistema’s Indian unit to continue operations beyond a January 18 deadline in the 21 services areas where its permits are to be revoked. It would also allow Telenor’s Indian unit to continue services in Mumbai.

With inputs from Reuters