Call drops: SC agrees to hear telcos’ plea against HC order

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a plea of two cellular operator associations, challenging Delhi high court order upholding TRAI’s decision making it mandatory for them to compensate subscribers for call drops from January 1, 2016.

The plea of the associations was mentioned before a Bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur, seeking urgent hearing on the matter. The Bench also comprising Justice UU Lalit asked the associations; “Why don’t you correct the system?” 

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the telecom associations, said the matter required urgent hearing as the Delhi HC has upheld the TRAI order, after which the Bench agreed to hear the plea on Friday.

The high court had, earlier this week, upheld the October 16, 2015 RPT 2015 decision of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) making it mandatory for cellular operators to pay consumers Re 1 per call drop experienced on their networks, subject to a cap of Rs 3 a day. The court order came while dismissing a batch of petitions filed by Cellular Operators Association of India.