BPL denies role in 'cellular' PILs

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 23. The BPL group today clarified that it was not responsible for the public interest litigations (PILs) against bids for the fourth cellular licence.

BPL had been targeted by other corporate groups after it wrote to the Telecom Commission Chairman, Mr. Shyamal Ghosh, a week back, referring to the possibility of cartelisation in the bids for cellular licences. It had also urged retendering as it feared that cartels had vitiated the auctioning process.

In a sector, where corporate rivalry is intense, BPL's stand was immediately interpreted as obstructionist by its rivals. It was also hinted that the company was playing spoilsport by sponsoring PILs against the auctioning process.

While maintaining that its apprehension about the risk of cartelisation was ``a real one and it impacts not just the Government from a revenue perspective but also the existing operators'', BPL, in a fresh missive to Mr. Ghosh, maintained that it was not responsible for the PILs that had stymied the auctions for the fourth cellular licences.

``We wish to emphasis that we do not wish to derail, hinder or stop the fourth cellular license bidding process. We have as a matter of fact bid for Chennai, Delhi and Karnataka. We were simply pointing to a better and transparent process of bidding, that would ensure that the Government's interest is safeguarded and the existing operator ensured a fair level playing to promote real competition, If it is felt necessary, we would be prepared to withdraw our request for retendering,'' said the letter by the BPL Mobile Chairman, Mr. K. S. Jayanth Kumar.

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Section  : Business
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