The terms such as ‘local calls', ‘local area', ‘Exchange' etc are highly technical
WHY all this fuss now over local calls on BSNL phones. Has anyone seen them lately? What with a villager earning Rs. 26 a day being categorized as not poor, certainly they can afford a cell phone!
Any way this was a matter of interesting litigation a few years ago.
In BSNL v CCE, Pune II - , the Tribunal remarked,
++ The law has to keep pace with the rapid technological advances made/being made in the field of communication. Further, Notification no. 3/94-ST was issued in 1994, when mobile phones was not heard of.
++ The terms involved such as ‘local calls', ‘local area', ‘Exchange' etc are highly technical.
++ We feel that the Department of Telecommunications is the appropriate authority to resolve the conflict. The meaning of the expression ‘local calls' and ‘guaranteed public telephone' occurring at Sl. No. 13 of the Table annexed to the Notification 3/94-ST dated 30.6.1994 needs to be clarified by the Department of Telecommunications.
++ Amendment to Notification 3/94-ST may also be thought of by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, keeping in view the technological advances made in the field of communication so as to clearly bring out the intention of the Government.
After three years, comes the Board clarification.