Telecom operators get SC reprieve till February 4

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed telecom operators whose licences were cancelled by its February 2, 2012 order to continue their services till February 4, 2013.

An apex court bench of Justice GS Singhvi and Justice KS Radhakrishnan passed the order on a Department of Telecommunications (DoT) application seeking that the existing licence holders be allowed to continue operations till the auction scheduled for March 2013 was completed.

The court, while adjourning the hearing till Feb 4, asked the DoT to give the names of the successful bidder companies in the auction held on November 12 and 14, 2012.

The court also asked the DoT to indicate the reserve price that it would fix for the auction scheduled to be held in March.

However, the apex court, in the course of hearing, made it clear that all those telecom service providers who had not participated in the auction of the cancelled licences would not be allowed to continue and take advantage of the situation