Is the 15 per cent interim revenue-share figure violative of the TRAI Act?
This is merely an interim figure. The final revenue-sharing arrangement will be decided upon by the TRAI over the next four months, in consultation with DoT, the government, private operators and customers. Why has the TRAI dragged the government to court? Is it because the NTP undermines the role of the TRAI? In no way does the new policy undermine the authority of the TRAI. In fact, the NTP stresses the need to further strengthen the hands of the TRAI. The TRAI has taken the government to court over an entirely different issue. Sometime last year, private companies had sued the government-read former Union communications minister Jagmohan-for undermining the TRAI’s authority. The NTP states that private operators must withdraw all legal cases pending against the government before they are allowed to migrate to the new policy regime. Therefore, they are withdrawing their case, but it is now being fought by the TRAI. Does the NTP scuttle the entry of DoT and MTNL into cellular operatio
