SC to hear landing pages matter on 4 January

SC to hear landing pages matter on 4 January

The SC bench is composed of Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar.

trai-b.jpg

Mumbai: The landing page case will be heard by the Supreme Court of India on 4 January 2023.

In response to a ruling on landing pages issued by the telecom disputes settlement and appellate tribunal (TDSAT) in May 2019, Trai filed an appeal with the Supreme Court.

A bench made up of Justices M. R. Shah and C. T. Ravikumar will hear the case on 4 January 2023, between Trai and Bennett Coleman Co. Ltd. and others.

In relation to the landing page issue, TDSAT had disregarded Tra's directive that all television channel distributors and broadcasters refrain from featuring any registered satellite television channel (whose TV rating was determined by Barc India) on the landing LCN, landing channel, or boot up screen.

A Supreme Court panel made up of justices Arun Misha, BR Gavai, and Krishna Murari ordered Trai not to implement the landing page regulations/directives against the respondents and other association members who were in a similar situation on 30 July 2020.

However, the Supreme Court stated, "subject to the foregoing, the operation of the impugned judgement (TDSAT verdict) shall remain stayed."

This indicates that, with the exception of landing pages, the Supreme Court dismissed TDSAT's ruling on the subject of Trai's authority.

According to the TDSAT order, landing pages are not covered by interconnection laws, and Trai lacks the authority to issue orders prohibiting cable providers from carrying landing pages. The Supreme Court held the landing page issue for further hearing despite being convinced of Trai's authority in its interim order.