The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSA) has reportedly dismissed the Department of Telecommunications? (DoT) order to impose liquidated damages on Idea Cellular for failing to meet roll-out obligations. The tribunal has said that the operator was denied an opportunity to present its argument pertaining to this case.

TDSAT has also asked DoT to examine the case again after observing that it has disregarded the established procedures while arriving at this conclusion.

Further, TDSAT observed that DoT while imposing liquidated damages on Idea Cellular had not given a fair chance to the operator to present its views.

The tribunal’s order followed Idea Cellular?s petitions challenging the imposition of liquidated damages worth Rs 276.5 million for delaying service roll-out in Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Idea Cellular was asked to pay for the Karnataka and Punjab service areas. It had acquired licences from Spice Telecom in the Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra circles.