SC extends deadline for fresh 2G Spectrum allocation

The Supreme Court Monday allowed the government to complete the auction process till Jan 11, 2013 by accepting government's plea to extend the time limit from previous set date of Aug 31, 2012.

The apex court extended the deadline of fresh auctioning of 2G Spectrum by over four months. It has also extended the licenses validity of telecom players till January 18, 2013 from earlier set date of September 07, 2012.

The Department of Telecommunication (DoT), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has filled a petition in the apex court seeking the extension of the process.

Warning to DoT, the court said suo moto contempt proceedings would be initiated against erring officials if Centre failed to complete the auction process within the fixed deadline.

"Exemplary costs may be imposed in the event of failure to complete auction process within the deadline," the division bench said in its ruling.

The apex court has also issued an order stating that no court in the country would entertain any plea pertaining to auction of spectrum.

Earlier, SC on February 02, 2012 had cancelled 122 licences of telecom players and ordered the government to redistribute the licences through an auction process.

It had set a deadline of June 2 which was later extended to Aug 31 on the Department of Telecom (DoT's) plea. The DoT has yet again sought an extension.

--With Agencies Inputs--