HC dismisses PIL of AAP MLA on installation of mobile towers

Petition sought a direction to Centre and Cantonment Board to allow private mobile service providers to install towers in Jharera village

The Delhi High Court has refused to entertain a PIL of an AAP MLA that the Centre and the Delhi Cantonment Board be directed to allow installation of mobile towers in a village here, saying the plea was "motivated".

"You (Surender Singh) are not even the resident of village Jharera in Delhi Cantonment area. This is a motivated litigation," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said.

"I am the MLA of the area and people complain about poor mobile connectivity. Moreover, a neighbouring village has as many as six mobile towers and this village has none," said Virender Singh Kadian, appearing for the lawmaker.

"Who will install the towers? It has to be private firms. How come a PIL is maintainable? It is dismissed," the bench said.

Singh, who represents Delhi Cantonment constituency in the Assembly, filed the PIL seeking a direction to the Centre and the Cantonment Board to allow private mobile service providers to install towers in Jharera village.

The MLA, a former Army Commando, said that there are as many as four schools near the village and mobile towers are necessary for proper connectivity.

"Thousands of children are studying in these schools and there is no communication facility due to non-availability of mobile towers. In case of some mishaps, it would be very difficult to communicate with agencies like police, ambulance or fire services," it said.

The non-installation of mobile towers is a clear violation of fundamental rights of almost 20,000 village residents, soldiers of nearby units, the plea said.