HC to pronounce verdict on TRAI’s tariff order on call drop today

The Delhi High Court is likely to pronounce on Monday its verdict on pleas challenging tariff order of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) making it mandatory for cellular operators to compensate subscribers for call drops from January onwards.

A Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath would pass the judgement on a bunch of petitions filed by the Cellular Operators Association of India, the association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India and 21 telecom operators, including Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Reliance.

TRAI had earlier told the high court that consumers have a right to get compensated for call drops and this was different from the quality of service guidelines that cellular service providers have to follow under the licence conditions.

However, the telecom companies had argued that even if the consumers were facing a problem, a regulation without statutory backing cannot be created.