Monday, January 31 2005 11:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Telecom Authority of India (TRAI) has challenged before Delhi High Court TDSAT's (Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) order assuming jurisdiction to adjudicate TRAI's regulation through which it laid down the guidelines for the new levy regime called Access Deficit Charge (ADC).

The case is coming up for hearing today (Jan 31, 2005) and the new ADC regime, which was announced by TRAI on January 6, is coming into effect from February 1.

After the announcement of the new ADC regime, cell phone service providers Airtel and Hutch had slashed their STD and ISD rates.

TRAI has taken the step in view of TDSAT's order of last week that it has the prima facie jurisdiction to adjudicate on TRAI's regulation.

TDSAT last Friday (Jan 28, 2005) had reserved the judgement on MTNL's petition challenging the new levy regime of TRAI, which could result in a loss of Rs 550 crore to the PSU.

TRAI had earlier said that regulations being statutory in nature could only be changed in Parliament as TDSAT, which was a creation of a statute, could not decide on such matters. Only High Court or Supreme Court are the deciding authorities in this matter, it added.