SC: Scrap all spectrum allocations since 2003

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Etisalat DB Telecom Pvt Ltd and other companies, submitted that the government had never followed any auction policy for 2G spectrum allocation and many companies got huge benefits by getting additional radio waves without any charge since 2003.

“If this (lack of auction) can be a ground for cancellation of allotment, then all such additional allocation to other telecom companies since 2003 should be scrapped,” he contended before a bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly.

Claiming that additional spectrum was given to established firms by the government without charging them since 2003, Salve said the Department of Telecom did not follow the Trai recommendation of charging the companies for additional spectrum at that time.