NEW DELHI: Information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has signed the file on the issue of licensing fees for FM radio operators, referring the matter to the Election Commission.

The finance ministry, to which the issue had been referred to last week, has not made much observation on the deferment of fees to be paid by the operators, saying it is upto the I&B ministry to take a call on the recommendations made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

The matter of license fee payment by FM operators in the country has been moving from ministry to ministry for the last two weeks, even as operators sought relief from the crushing fees that fell due in the last week of April. While Trai has suggested deferment of the fees, the present government has been unwilling to take a stand on the issue till the election are over.

While the Entertainment Network run Radio Mirchi tried to seek legal succour from the Bombay High Court last week and failed, the Millenium Broadcast operated Win downed shutters, protesting the high license fees and demanding a more rational model.

All private FM players are currently keenly watching each other's moves as well as waiting for the government's next step, which could well decide private FM radio's fate in the country.