The bench also directed to immediately put on fresh auctionthe entire 2G spectrum for the licences cancelled by it

NEW DELHI (TIP): The SupremeCourt held that telecom companieswhich were unsuccessful in availingfresh 2G spectrum and those which didnot participate in the auction processwill cease to operate “forthwith”.However, telecom companies whichwere successful in the fresh auctionheld on November 12 and 14, 2012 willbe asked to start their services in therespective circles immediately, thecourt ruled. “The telecom companieswhich have been unsuccessful in thebidding and those after the cancellationof the licences did not participate inthe fresh auction are directed to ceasefrom continuing from operationforthwith and the successful bidderswill immediately start in theirrespective circles,” the court said.

A bench comprising justices G SSinghvi and K S Radhakrishnandirected that those telecom companieswhich were allowed to continueoperation after scrapping of theirlicences by February 2, 2012 judgementwill have to pay the reserved pricefixed for the licences in the first roundof the auction held in November 2012.The apex court by its interim ordershad extended the deadline for them tocontinue with the operation.The bench clarified that the apexcourt’s Feb 2, 2012 judgement will notbe applicable on telecom companiesholding the spectrum with 900 MHzband.’The February 2, 2012 order will haveno bearing on litigation relating to 900MHz band,’ the bench said, adding thatit (900 MHz band spectrum) was not thesubject matter before it.The bench also directed toimmediately put on fresh auctionentire 2G spectrum for the licencescancelled by it.