SC asks Reliance Infocomm to pay Rs 84.7 cr to BSNL Friday, December 3 2004 14:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court today (Dec 3, 2004) directed Reliance Infocomm to pay up a balance Rs 84.7 crore to BSNL for the demand of Rs 182.7 crore made by it for using the Home Country Direct services thereby routing the international calls as local ones.
Referring the matter back to the High Court to decide on the appeal filed by Reliance Infocomm by January 31, the Court said no interim order for payment of Rs 40 crore by Reliance to BSNL could have been made.
The Court set aside the interim order of the High Court and directed Reliance to pay up the balance of the demand within four weeks.
In October, BSNL had raised a demand of Rs 182.7 crore of which Reliance has paid Rs 58 crore in the first instalment and then Rs 40 crore on the direction of the High Court.
The Court said Reliance will comply with its undertaking before the High Court to correct the Caller Line Identification (CLI) problem pointed out by BSNL. Reliance agreed to do it immediately.
The Court said the High Court will also consider BSNL's contention that either the Court nor any arbitrator has jurisdiction to decide the dispute between BSNL and Reliance and that TDSAT was the sole authority to entertain such disputes.
