A Parliamentary Committee will hold a meeting on the controversial issue of net neutrality on Thursday and officials of telecom companies like Airtel, Vodafone and Idea are expected to participate and give their views.
The Standing Committee of Parliament will examine the issue over which there has been an uproar for some time, with even MPs voicing concern in Parliament during the just-concluded Budget session.
According to the sources, the officials of Airtel, Vodafone and Idea are expected to attend the meeting and make their views known on the issue that triggered a row after a consultation paper floated by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) last month suggested that net neutrality could end.
“Government stands for ensuring non-discriminatory access to internet for all citizens of the country. It is committed to the fundamental principles and concept of net neutrality, keeping the internet accessible and available to all without discrimination,” IT and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said in Parliament.”Connectivity to internet must go in an unhindered manner.
I assure the House that the key principles of net neutrality will be followed while following concerns with a national outlook,” he had said while replying to the Calling Attention Motion in Rajya Sabha.
Meanwhile, Amid long-running debate on net neutrality, fair trade watchdog Competition Commission chairman Ashok Chawla on Wednesday said it is a policy issue and sectoral regulator TRAI has to first take a stand in this regard. He said it will look into the matter when it will come to Competition Commission of India (CCI).