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TDSAT upholds BECIL audit in case of Home Systems vs Star India case
New Delhi, The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal has rejected an application by Home Systems Pvt Ltd.Mumbai challenging the methodology of Broadcasting Engineering Consultants (India) Ltd as it felt that procedure adopted adopted is absolutely correct and there is no error in the report.
Chairman Justice Aftab Alam and member Kuldip Singh listed the matter for further hearing on 6 April.
At the outset, it said the application had been filed by Home Systems Pvt Ltd.Mumbai in its dispute with Star India seeking a review of the order of the Tribunal of 21 January.
Home Systems said the SMS count given by BECIL for he period in dispute is the total number of subscribers on the network and not the total number of authorised subscribers, which the petitioner says is the relevant number for making payments to the broadcaster.
Home Systems said the figure calculated by BECIL for active subscribers is based on command logs of SMS. He submitted that sometimes a command is given in the SMS with wrong STB number or VC Card Number and this leads to counting the same subscriber multiple times. Thus, Home Systems said BECIL has made an error in arriving at the figure of active subscribers. It submitted that there are three different numbers possible in SMS and that is why there is need to reconcile the SMS and CAS data.
BECIL said it had taken active subscribers both from the SMS data base and CAS data base. Since the figures obtained from SMS data base were lower than the CAS data base, BECIL discussed this with the petitioner at the time of audit. It is due to a stop (suspension) command which may suspend a subscriber temporarily in the SMS but the entitlement for the Subscriber still remains intact in CAS. BECIL accordingly added all such subscribers that were in suspention to the active subscribers to arrive at the SMS figures.
BECIL sadi a subscriber who is temporarily suspended cannot be considered as de-activated. If such a subscriber was to be counted as de-activated, this could lead to a situation where there is under-reporting of subscribers as the ervice provider may use this command to suspend the subscribers temporarily for some time at the time of taking the SMS figures and immediately thereafter, restore them to active status.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
