A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia has asked Reliance Communications (RCOM) and Reliance Telecom to deposit 50 per cent of the increased spectrum usage charge imposed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and to submit a bank guarantee for the rest within two weeks.
The bench also directed DoT to file a reply on why it increased spectrum usage charge. The court has directed the DoT to club RCOM and Reliance Telecom’s appeal with the other operators, Vodafone, Bharti Airtel, Bharti Hexacom, Idea Cellular and Uninor, who have challenged the DoT?s dictum of increasing the usage charges 3-8 per cent of adjusted gross revenue, depending on quantum of spectrum held by an operator.
It has also asked the managing director of both firms to provide an affidavit to the effect that, in the event of civil appeal being dismissed, it will pay the balance amount with interest. The court also said that if there is a breach of any of the afore-stated conditions, the impugned order will come into force with immediate effect.
