Delhi HC seeks TRAI's reply on Vodafone's IUC appeal

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the response of TRAI on Vodafone India's appeal against a single judge order dismissing its petition against the consultation process adopted for fixing interconnection usage charges (IUCs) between cellular and fixed line operators.

A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Sunil Gaur sought to know the stand of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on the issue and listed the matter for September 15.

IUCs are charges paid by operators of telecommunication
services on whom the call originates to operators on whose end the call terminates. The charges are currently determined in accordance with the Telecom Interconnection Usage Charges Regulations 2015.

The single judge had on September 4 dismissed Vodafone India Ltd's petition against the consultation papers on IUCs floated by the TRAI. The plea had claimed that if the data was not shared with them, the entire consultation would be violative of the principles of natural justice in accordance with the TRAI Act
and other provisions of law.

The single judge had said that clearly, there can be no fixed formula for the manner in which consultation is required to take place.

"Administrative acts may require deliberation between the two parties and a higher level of interaction. However, the same would not hold true in case of a legislative exercise,"
it had said.

The court had further said it was of the view that TRAI has conformed to the requirement of transparency as mandated under the provisions of TRAI Act.