Excerpt from Times of India Article, Published on July 17, 2025
The Gujarat High Court has issued a strict notice to the secretary of the Department of Telecommunication (DoT), New Delhi, for failing to comply with court orders related to a telecom compliance dispute. The court has warned the DoT secretary of possible contempt proceedings after he did not file a mandated affidavit or respond to earlier notices.
Justice Niral Mehta of the Gujarat HC observed that the DoT secretary’s conduct was “serious in nature” and noted that despite clear directions from the court dated March 26, 2025, the secretary failed to submit the required reply. Consequently, the court has directed the DoT secretary to appear before it by hybrid mode on July 28, 2025, to explain his non-compliance.
This case emerged from a petition filed by Vadodara resident Vasudev Thakkar, who sought action against a private telecom operator for allegedly violating Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) directives. Thakkar accused the service provider, Vodafone, of not providing itemized bills and consumer directories as mandated. He also highlighted that his multiple complaints to Vodafone and representations to the DoT went unanswered.
The petition names several respondents, including the DoT secretary and key Vodafone officials. According to the court records, the DoT secretary was issued a notice back in 2023 and was ordered to file an affidavit in March 2025, but he has since ignored these orders. This prolonged non-compliance puts the DoT secretary at risk of contempt proceedings by the Gujarat High Court.
The court’s action underscores the critical importance of compliance by regulatory bodies like the DoT in enforcing telecom sector rules. It also highlights the judiciary’s firm stance on accountability in public administration.
To delve deeper into this topic, read the Times of India article.
