Cellular firms unsealed, HC seeks info on towers

Chandigarh Administration on Friday unsealed the premises of five cellular companies which were sealed on Thursday. The action of reprieve for the companies was carried out following an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court where by the court has called for the details of the mobile towers installed by these five cellular companies.

The cellular companies, facing stern action by the Administration, had moved Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking removal of seals. The application was filed by Cellular Operators Association of India and others.The application said that Chandigarh administration had sought list of mobile towers from the petitioner companies and the companies were preparing the list but administration carried out the action of sealing off their premises. The action was taken in an abrupt manner and without any prior notice.

Hearing the plea of the companies, the bench headed by Justice Satish Kumar Mittal asked the companies to provide list of mobile towers in the city to Chandigarh Administration as well as to the High Court within a week. The companies were asked to produce the number of Mobile towers which are not in compliance with the mobile tower policy of the administration and to specify the number of towers installed without approval from the UT Administration. During the course of hearing, Chandigarh Administration assured the court that no coercive action will be taken against the companies till next date that is Aug 26, 2015.

Chandigarh Administration had sealed off full or partial offices or stores of five cellular companies. The companies that faced the action include Airtel, Reliance, Tata Docomo, Vodafone and Idea Cellular. The premises of Airtel and Reliance were sealed off in IT Park, while stores of Vodafone and Idea cellular in sector 35 and Tata Docomo in Sector 9 suffered the action. These cellular companies are facing allegations of tax evasion, violating building bylaws and UT’s Mobile Tower Policy.