SC to hear Centre's plea for more time for 2G auctioning

A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi slated August 24 for hearing the plea.

In an application filed by the Ministry of Telecom, the government said it needed time till November 12 to start the auction and another 40 days to complete the procedure and allocate licenses and spectrum.

The decision to approach the apex court for extension of the time was taken at a meeting of the Empowered Group of Ministers on telecom on August 7.

The application said the entire exercise would be completed in three months and 23 days.

The court had earlier extended its original June 2 deadline to August 31, 2012, refusing to grant 400 days to the government to complete the process of fresh auctioning.

It had also said the existing licences for the 2G spectrum will continue to be operational till September 7, 2012.

The apex court on February 2 had cancelled 122 licences for the 2G spectrum and had directed their fresh auctioning by June 2.