First-come-first serve introduced in 2001, government to SC

The government's response came to the Supreme Court's query to know when the concept was introduced.

According to agencies investigating the 2G spectrum scam, the policy of first-come-first-serve was altered to benefit a few firms to get 2G licence and spectrum ahead of others.

Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati, appearing for the government, informed the apex court that the method, which has come under the scrutiny of the apex court, was started by
DoT for allocation of telecom licenses bundled with start-up spectrum since 2001 and it was never referred to TRAI for consultation.

"This issue with regard to first-come-first-serve was never refereed to TRAI," said Vahanvati to the bench adding it was first started by the government in January 21, 2001, for allocation of telecom spectrum to basic service operators.

He said it was also used in November, 2003, in a note for allocation which was also approved by the government. These facts are also recorded by the Justice Shivraj Patil Committee report formed to look into the scam in spectrum allocation.