New Delhi: A public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking cancellation of new telecom licences and 2G spectrum allocated by the Department of Telecom when A Raja was Telecom Minister between 2008 and 2009.
The petition was filed by a group of civil societies, including the Centre for Public Interest Litigation.
In their joint petition, the civil societies have alleged that these allocation, made by the DoT during the reign of Telecom Minister A Raja, was marred by "multiple illegalities, corruption and favouritism".
Citing two press releases issued by the DoT on January 10, 2008, the petitioners have contended large scale irregularities was committed.
"Irregularities and illegalities have also been recorded and commented upon by 2 detailed judgements of the Delhi High Court and detailed report of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. According to the CAG, 85 of the 122 licences were given to companies which were not even eligible and as many as 343 applications were not even considered by the DoT," the petitioners submitted.
The other petitioners in this case are Telecom Watchdog, Common Cause, former Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh, TS Krishnamurthy and N Gopalaswami along with former Central Vigilance Commissioner P Shankar.
They further submitted that even the sectoral regulator has recommended for cancellation of 69 out of the 122 licensees as the licences have failed to roll out their services as stipulated by the condition on which they were given the licences.
"The allocation of 2G spectrum and telecom licences made by DoT pursuant to the two press releases issued by it on January 10, 2008, be held illegal, licences be cancelled, spectrum be taken back by the government and then be auctioned as was done in 2001 and has been done in 2010," said CPIL.
It contended that internationally, in most legal systems, transactions tainted by bribery or corruption or made in violation of established norms and procedures are considered illegal and unenforceable.
"The same must be held in this case. In addition, punitive damages must be imposed on companies that made false declarations or which violated their undertakings given to the government," it said.
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