Rajan Mathews refuses to apologise to Reliance Jio Infocomm

KOLKATA: Cellular Operators Association of India ( COAI) director general Rajan Mathews has rejected Reliance Jio Infocomm’s demand for an apology over his recent media statement calling the latter a back-door entrant.

He also ruled out any immediate overhaul in the proportionate voting rules of the industry association as demanded by the Mukesh Ambani-backed 4G entrant.

Jio had on Wednesday accused Mathews of making defamatory remarks, bordering on contempt of a Supreme Court order, that the company had made a back-door entry into the telecom sector, and demanded an apology.

It had also put him on notice and copied the COAI urging it to take appropriate action, failing which it would pursue “legal recourse with full vigour” against the industry body, which represents industry biggies Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.

Mathews, however, said there is “no need for an apology” since the DG always acts in full compliance with COAI’s constitution and by-laws, and does not make independent statements.

He said he had the full backing of COAI’s majority members, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea, on this issue. He also dismissed Jio’s call for an overhaul of COAI members’ voting rules, saying there was no need to move away from the principle of proportionate voting rights as the core logic is that “such rights must reflect a member’s market representation”.

Jio wants a rejig of COAI’s rules and processes, which it says are biased in favour of Airtel, Vodafone and Idea , who collectively control 68% of the total votes in the association’s executive council by virtue of revenue and market position. It has suggested that a panel comprising three retired Supreme Court judges be set up to ensure COAI’s governance code are re-aligned in step with the democratic principles of reasonableness, fairness, accountability and transparency.

Mathews said COAI has also sought legal advice on the validity of Reliance charge that the association’s regulations are in breach of the Societies Registration Act, 1860.