Digital gaps

This is with reference to the editorial, ‘Reviving telecom’ (October 30). Sadly, the Government seems to be leveraging the telecom revolution primarily for revenue and less for its potential to aid digital transformation. The model of market competition say in consumer goods can not be replicated in a pivotal service such as telecom, tied to economy and finance, where the role of regulators needs to be prescient and firm. The gap between policymaking and regulation in Indian telecom needs to be constantly bridged to tackle the digital era. Telcos reeling under debt stress may not be able to cope. The maligned 2G allocations provided a polynomial burst in user base at one of the lowest global tariffs. Despite this we are trying to digitally cover transactions of every description.

R Narayanan

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

That the telecom industry is in dire straits would send shivers down the spine of the existing workforce. The lay-offs in this sector have been going on for more than a year. The Government has failed to take any initiatives to bail out the industry.

By allowing one company to monopolise the sector, TRAI has failed to predict the likely negative fallout with respect to other companies. Such developments send the wrong signals to aspiring FIIs. The Government should treat the predicament as a wake-up call.

V Subramanian

Chennai

With Reliance Communications asking about 1000 employees to leave, the situation has worsened. This, although this the sector is on the cusp of a major data revolution.

All the stakeholders need to sit together to device a strategy to address this concern. We need out-of-the-box thinking.

Bal Govind

Noida, Uttar Pradesh

With profitability under severe stress, the sector is becoming unviable for several companies. The Government must take appropriate steps to ensure that the telecom players generate a minimum rate of return on the capital they have invested. In the absence of proactive action, the telecom sector might generate unwelcome NPAs that can choke the banking system's capital.

Swarup Chandrashekar

Bengaluru

Be circumspect

‘Inquiries and conspiracy stories’ (From the Viewsroom, October 30) by NS Vageesh is very pertinent. Normally, the deaths of charismatic leaders are shrouded in mystery by followers even if there is little reason for this. Even an open and shut case like Mahatma Gandhi’s murder has made someone raise a doubt about the real killer. What is more mysterious is that the Supreme Court has agreed to look into this request.

Given that the apex court has a backlog of nearly 57,000 cases — some of them pending for more than five years — is this the right approach? Both the Government and the courts should be circumspect about responding to such requests.

YG Chouksey

Pune

Collision course

The government and the judiciary have on a collision course ever since the Supreme Court turned down the Government’s proposal for a National Judicial Appointments Commission, ruling it unconstitutional. This is an unhealthy development.

Delay in the appointment of judges and inadequate staff alone are not responsible for delayed disposal of cases. Cases that can be disposed of in one or two hearings are dragged on for a number of years. If cheques are bounced for want of funds, the intent of the drawer of the instrument to deceive the drawee is visible. There is absolutely no need for these cases to take so long. When there are inadequate number of judges, the administrative machinery of the judiciary should work rigorously to dispose of cases quickly without compromising on its demand to fill up all the vacancies.

Justice delayed is justice denied. And although justice hurried is justice buried, history is not replete with hurried delivery of justice. It is high time the Government and judiciary closed ranks in the larger interest of litigants.

KV Seetharamaiah

Hassan, Karnataka

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