New Delhi: The Supreme Court is likely to take a decision on the review petitions filed by the government and seven telecom companies against its order. The apex court had cancelled 122 2G Spectrum licenses on February 2 granted by former Telecom Minister A Raja and had held that the first-come-first-served (FCFS) policy could not be used for the allocation of natural resources.
Seven petitions were filed by Telecom companies and one plea each by the PMO, the Centre, and A Raja. The Centre sought a review and clarification of the court's January 31 verdict which blamed the Prime Minister's Office for sitting on the plea for granting sanction to prosecute Raja.
The apex court had set a June 2 deadline for the 2G licenses to stand cancelled. The government virtually sought an extension to act on it.
Telecom companies - Tata Teleservices, Sistema Shyam TeleServices and Uninor - also sought review of the verdict cancelling their licences.
In a separate application, the Centre had also questioned the apex court verdict, which has held as unconstitutional the policy of first-come-first-served, saying it has entered into the exclusive domain of the executive and beyond the limits of judicial review.
The main accused in the 2G scam, Raja has also pleaded for a review of the verdict on cancellation of licences, saying it violates the "principles of natural justice" and "judicial norms" and that he was indicted without being heard.
Raja, who has been in jail for more than a year, had contended the findings in the verdict against him are "bound to prejudice" his defence in the trial.
The review petition contended the apex court's prescription of a single method for distribution of all natural resources, including spectrum, through "auction" route is contrary to the principle of separation of powers embodied in the Constitution.
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