Centre For Public Interest Litigation vs U.O.I.& Ors

The Supreme Court, while adjudicating a writ petition under Article 32, held that the decision of the Government of India to grant a voice telephony license to Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. at an entry fee of Rs. 1,658 crores was arbitrary and violated principles of fair competition and transparency. The Court emphasized that the license fee should reflect the market value, as indicated by the Comptroller and Auditor General's report estimating it at approximately Rs. 25,000 crores. The Court directed the Government to reassess the entry fee and Spectrum Usage Charges to ensure a level playing field among telecom operators.