Chennai: The Madras High Court Bench of Justices S. Nagamuthu and M.V. Muralidaran order Tamil Nadu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV) on Monday to come out with a concrete proposal selecting district and taluk-level control room operators through a transparent process and after permitting participation of all cable operators bee 21st November.
A Division Bench of told a counsel the TACTV that it was not fair to select the control room operators on the ipse dixit of the authorities concerned and then pay them Rs. 10,500 towards monthly maintenance the public exchequer. They said the selection of control room operators should be done only through a well laid-out process.
The observations were made during the hearing of two public interest litigation petitions filed by cable operators Theni district seeking a direction to the TACTV Chairman to desist appointing district and taluk-level control room operators without conducting a public auction as required under the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act, 1998 and the rules framed there-under.
The counsel the TACTV said every cable operator should have obtained a licence the jurisdictional post office under the Cable Television Networks (Regulations) Rules, 1994. After its revival by the State Government in 2011, the TACTV opened online registration of such licencees to provide high quality cable television signals to people at an afdable cost.
However, the TACTV did not have control rooms, known as Head Ends, in all districts except Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and Vellore. Hence, it decided to take existing Head Ends, owned by local cable operators, on lease on payment of monthly maintenance of Rs. 10,500. Only those who had required equipment and infrastructure were taken on lease at district and taluk levels.
He also said a public auction could not be conducted since the monthly maintenance amount was fixed.
Disagreeing with him, Mr. Justice Nagamuthu said: “What if someone is ready to operate the control room just Rs. 5,000 a month. Then, it is a benefit the State exchequer. Isn’t it? Theree, you cannot select the operators without following a transparent and clear-cut procedure.
“You may lay down the rules and conditions and those who fit into your requirements should be given a fair chance to participate in the selection process.”
The counsel sought time to come out with a proposal, and hence the judges adjourned the hearing.
