COAI to take legal action against Tata Teleservices

COAI to take legal action against Tata TeleservicesA leading lawyer has advised GSM mobile operators that they can take legal action against Tata Teleservices in the country.

GSM mobile operators are planning to disconnect the Tata Teleservices as its license stands cancelled. The Cellular Operators Association of India, which is the representative body of the operators, had sought legal opinion from top lawyer Rohinton F Nariman on this issue and he has recommended that the group has grounds to take legal action against the company.

Nariman said, "It is clear that the spectrum allocated to Tata Teleservices was quashed by the Supreme Court. In the view thereof, it is permissible for the querist to take all steps that are consequential to cancellation of spectrum."

If the GSM mobile operators move to disconnect the company, the GSM subscribers of Tata Teleservices will not be able to connect to users of any other GSM operator, including Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular. The players can also turn down any accept number portability requests or offer other services that they are expected to offer to the subscribers.

It is believed that the COAI will first send a letter to the Department of Telecom and the telecom regulator asking them to take action against the company. The Supreme Court of India had announced that all licences issued on or after January 10, 2008 are declared illegal and are quashed.