MUMBAI: The Madras High court rejected the interim prayer plea in a petition filed by Chennai Metro Cable TV (CAS) Operators Association declining to stay the implementation of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) tariff order. Justice S Vaidyanathan issued notice to TRAI as well as posted the matter to 3 January for further hearing.

The cable TV association’s petition was against two notifications on the new regulations issued through media releases on 19 November and 18 December fixing December 29 as the deadline for implementing the new regime. They sought to quash the two notifications along with an interim stay on the implementation of the regulations.

The regulatory body’s council submitted that the matter was already raised before the Supreme Court. Moreover, now TRAI itself has given additional one month for smooth transition allowing consumers to choose the plan till 31 January.

The objections were first raised by a social activist after the first communication on 19 November, as submitted by the petitioner association. It claimed that TRAI, without considering the objections, passed the second release specifying the deadline.

Under the new regime consumers have to choose channels and local cable operators will have to collect the required fees. The petition claimed this arrangement unworkable. It also claimed it would curtail the right of consumers to see all channels.