Bharti Airtel has sought the Department of Telecommunications? (DoT) approval to migrate to the new licensing regime, provided the outcome of various court cases against the department is extended to the new framework.
In its communication to DoT, Bharti Airtel has stated that certain terms and conditions of the unified licence already form the subject matter of pending court proceedings, to which the DoT is also a party. These proceedings are at an advanced stage of adjudication before various courts and tribunals across India and both parties are bound by and will continue to be bound by the interim orders that have been passed therein till the final disposal.
The operator further asserts that rule of sub-judice will apply to all clauses of the unified licence, which forms the subject matter of proceedings, and would be subject to the final orders and principles laid down by courts and the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal. The company has stated that it seeks ?DoT’s approval to apply for migration from a unified access service licence to a unified licence? with the above understanding.
The company, in the letter dated November 1, listed seven matters that are sub-judice including extension of licence, one-time fee, spectrum usage charges, definition of adjusted gross revenue and 3G inter-circle roaming.
