TDSAT directs Canara Star to settle disputes with Star India

NEW DELHI: Bangalore’s Canara Star has been asked by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to intimate Star India whether it admits the SMS reports submitted by the broadcaster for the period 2014 to January 2015.

The common order by the Tribunal on three petitions including one by Star India against Canara Star claiming recovery dues of about Rs 3 crore pertaining to the MSO’s operations in Digital Addressable System (DAS) area of Bangalore said this was subject to the two parties failing to arrive at a final settlement.

Listing the matter for 14 January, 2016 the Tribunal also asked Canara to produce its bank statements and materials to show payments made by it towards invoices raised by Star India based on Canara’s SMS reports.

Canara, which has allegedly sold off its business to another MSO called All Digital, will produce its deed of transfer of establishment to All Digital, which was made a party in the petition filed by Star India.

The other two petitions are by Canara Star challenging disconnection notices issues by Star India for analogue areas of Kumta and Bhatkal.

Star India counsels Kunal Tandon and Arjun Natarajan produced the SMS reports on the basis of which it had billed Canara Star.

Star India argued that Canara cannot withhold payments to it for invoices, which were raised by the broadcaster on the basis of Canara Star’s SMS reports.

Canara Star’s counsel Jayant Mehta asked for one final opportunity to settle the disputes.

All the three matters had been before the mediator from early August till mid November but no settlement could be arrived at.