(3 January 2008 2:40 pm)

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has summarily dismissed the appeal by Star India TV challenging the High Court order that had upheld the authority of the Parliament in empowering the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to regulate the broadcasting industry.

The court dismissed the appeal without admitting it.

Mukul Rohtgi, senior counsel for Star, tried to explain the locus standii of his appeal. But the court said that there was no merit befitting a Special Leave Petition in this case.

"Do not waste our time," the court told Rohtgi and F Nariman, the other senior counsel, and said the case was dismissed.

Though the Trai originated as the regulator for the telecom sector in the country, the Parliament amended the Trai Act in 2000, extending its authority to the broadcasting (including cable and satellite industries which were carriers of the broadcast signals).

Star had appealed to the Delhi High Court against this last year and lost the case when the court dismissed the writ.

The High Court had last year passed an order that said that the Parliament had the authority to empower Trai to regulate broadcasting industry. Trai's orders, thus, were binding for the sector stakeholders.

However, Star had appealed to the apex court against this.

The MSO Alliance, the body of national MSOs, has welcomed the order. "This is a major development and clears the way for Trai and the government to effectively regulate the sector. MSO Alliance will closely work with Trai to help achieve streamlining the sector," it said in a statement.