The Madras High Court has issued notices to 10 operators on a petition aimed at preventing them from charging extra for text messages during festivals and other important days.
The High Court bench issued the notices, while admitting a petition by a lawyer, seeking a direction to the companies and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) not to hike the tariff for this period.
Petitioner Arunachalam also sought an interim stay on undue and a sudden hike of charges for text messages during important festivals.
He contended that mobile companies offered attractive packages while enrolling customers but later announce that they would maintain a special tariff for text messages on special days.
He further alleged that the regulator has not taken any steps to curb this. Arunachalam also said that mobile operators, regardless of tariff plans, would charge Re 1.50 per text message on Dec 31, 2011.
The petitioner also said that users were being charged extra at a time when they want to use their mobiles the most, thereby “fully violating natural justice and rights given in the Constitution.”
Thereafter, the bench issued notices to TRAI and the zonal and regional managers of Bharti Airtel, Aircel, Vodafone Essar, Reliance Communications, Idea Cellular, Unitech, TATA DOCOMO, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and Videocon. The case will be next heard on January 21, 2012.
