Supreme Court sends JioStar TRAI tariff dispute to Delhi HC

The Story in Brief

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed JioStar India Pvt Ltd to approach the Delhi High Court with its plea challenging parts of the TRAI regulatory framework on television channel pricing. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant disposed of JioStar's transfer petition, advising senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi to file an application in the High Court stating the broadcaster does not wish to amend its pending petitions. JioStar had argued that TRAI's regulations and tariff orders are intrinsically linked but arise from different legal sources, making simultaneous challenges in different forums problematic.

The broadcaster's counsel highlighted that the regulations treat a luxury hotel charging Rs 50,000 per room on par with a residential household for pricing purposes, calling it discriminatory. JioStar's petitions from 2014 and 2015 challenging both the regulations and tariff orders have remained pending, with the High Court previously directing amendments and imposing costs. The Supreme Court observed that the broadcaster should clarify its position before the High Court without amending the original petitions, allowing the legal battle over TRAI's pricing framework to continue at the lower court.