Cable TV
One Alliance to amend petition in cable disconnect case
MUMBAI: The Delhi high court today allowed Discovery-Sony joint venture One Alliance to file an amended writ petition in a case relating to a sector regulator directive on restoration of signals to a cable operator in Allahabad.
Earlier this year, One Alliance had moved the high court challenging the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)’s jurisdiction over contractual matters. This follows Trai’s directive to Sony Discovery to restore signals to a defaulting cable operator without proper notice.
One Alliance had alleged that the `defaulting’ cable operator had run up unpaid dues running over Rs. 400,000, which had been contested by the service provider concerned, 3 Star Communications.
While, accepting One Alliance’s plea, a two-judge bench today gave the petitioner one week to amend its petition. It also directed that the respondents, Trai, Allahabad cable operator 3 Star Communications and the Union of India, could file a reply to the amended petition within four weeks.
After the petition has been amended and counter affidavit filed, the high court has set 6 September as the next date for hearing of the case.
After One Alliance disconnected the signals to 3 Star Communications, the cable service provider moved appealed to Trai, sating its inter-connect regulations were being violated.
When the regulator directed One Alliance to restore the signals, it moved the high court pleading that Trai does not have jurisdiction over commercial deals being carried out by it as it was not a service provider.
