The telecom operators have requested the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to issue a stay order on the penalty imposed for failing to re-verify their prepaid connections in Assam and northeastern regions.
The Department of Telecommunication (DoT), in 2011, had issued a directive to operators in the Assam and northeastern region to conduct re-verification of their existing prepaid subscriber base. The department?s decision came over several apprehensions raised by the security establishments that prepaid connections, which can be easily procured, are used by militants for subversive activities in these areas.
Recently, the Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cell of DoT has imposed a penalty on Dishnet Wireless, Vodafone India, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular for not completing the re-verification process.
The operators have challenged this penalty and have approached TDSAT to waive off the same.
Operators are not in favor of undertaking re-verification of their entire pre-paid subscriber base and have termed the circular issued by government as one issued ?in a casual manner”. According to them, DoT has simply extended the directive issued in the circle of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) to Assam and North East Service Areas. Since, these guidelines were initially formulated by keeping in mind the peculiar conditions existing in J&K, the same cannot be applicable to the areas of North East. Thus, a proper modification of this directive should be done before issuing it.
The operators believe that the entire process may result into a loss of around 20 million subscriber base in the northeastern region.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has already approached the TDSAT on this issue. In response to COAI?s request TDSAT had asked the operators to file their individual petitions along with details.
COAI has said that as per DoT?s circular, certificates issued by Head of Village Panchayat or its equivalent authority; or caste and domicile certificates with photograph, issued by state governments were not included in the list of proofs that can be used for verification. Moreover, Voters Identity cards issued before 2008 were also not a part of the list.
