DoT may seek help from other ministries to screen applications

With over 500 licence applications filed by 46 companies waiting to be screened, the Department of Telecom (DoT) said it is open to seeking help from other ministries to track down the actual promoters of these companies together with their shareholding pattern and source of funding.

"The processing of these applications will start very soon. Once it starts and during the scrutiny, if it is felt that the actual ownership, shareholding patterns and source of funding are prima facie doubtful and outside our normal investigation, we will certainly take help from other ministries that are experts in these areas," official sources said.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the GSM-technology service providers' lobby, recently wrote to DoT saying some of the applicants may be acting as proxies for existing operators to circumvent restrictions on holdings by incumbents in the same circle.

Although officials did not specify which ministries could be of help in this regard, they said the corporate affairs ministry checks ownership and funding issues after they are referred by another ministry.