In a twist of events, Delhi High Court has stayed migration of all long term plans under old tariff regime, for all DTH users, and has placed a stay on all long term plans as well.
This order must have stunned TRAI, because now, TRAI’s earlier order on the long term plans holds null and void, and their order on long term plans under old tariff also holds null and void.
And it also means that DTH users who wished to go back to the old cable regime, under long term plans, won’t be able to do that.
Tata Sky, India’s 2nd biggest DTH operator had a huge role in convincing Delhi High Court to make this verdict.
This is how this happened..
Delhi High Court: No Long Term Validity Plan Now
Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao has passed an order, which stops all DTH operators from offering or activating any long term plans for their customers.
The order also mentions that no DTH user can be migrated to the old tariff under long term plans.
In short, long term plans for both new tariff and old tariff has been put on hold.
This verdict was passed after Tata Sky moved in a petition to stop TRAI’s order on the long term plans.
Tata Sky: TRAI’s Order Is Self-Contradictory
When the new cable TV regime was put into execution, compulsory for all TV users in India, the issue of long term validity plans had crept in.
The users who already had chosen long term plans under the old cable TV regime, what will happen to them?
TRAI had ordered that these users can be refunded back, and then moved into the new tariff plans, under the Best Fit arrangement.
However now, on ay 1st, TRAI stated that DTH users can opt in for long term plans, under the old tariff, if they wish so.
Tata Sky has objected to this, and said in their petition: “The TRAI now by way of the Direction dated 01.05.2019 is attempting to once again upset this position and arbitrarily reverse provision of services to subscribers as per the old Agreements which are in existence anymore”
Besides, as refunds has already been given, TRAI’s new order on long term plans will create chaos all around.
While Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Sajan Poovayya represented Tata Sky along with Advocate Rishi Agrawala, TRAI was represented by Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi.
Next hearing on this matter will be on July 11.