HC rejects plea for extension of 3G bid time

NEW DELHI: Giving a go ahead to the government for auction of the 3G spectrum (radio frequency) starting on April 9, the Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking extension of time for submitting bids. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice M B Lokur and Justice Mukta Gupta held that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has followed norms and maintained transparency while inviting bids for 3G spectrum.

March 19 is the last date for submission of the forms to participate in the 3G auction. The bench did not agree that 25 days’ time given for submitting the bids in the Notice for Inviting the Application of February 25 was very less and small operators would be deprived.

“Transparency is there. The government has already put all the information regarding the auction on its website in October last year,” the bench said. It also added that the auction was in nature of commercial transaction and all the norms are followed.

The court also observed that the petitioner Umesh Joshi was not even an interested party as he was not going to bid for the 3G spectrum. After that it imposed a cost of Rs 15,000 on Joshi and said that if he failed to submit it then action would be taken against him.