Dispute Between Dish TV India Ltd And Sony Pictures Network India Ends After The Former Withdraws Its Plea Before TDSAT

The legal dispute between Dish TV India Ltd and Sony Pictures Network India at the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has ended, with the former withdrawing its petition.

Dish TV India has withdrawn its petition filed in 2018 against certain clauses in terms and conditions of the pre-New Tariff Order (NTO) Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO) as published by the broadcaster, on the basis of non-discrimination.

In February 2018, Dish TV had moved Telecom Disputes Settlement And Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) challenging the subsisting Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO) agreement which was entered into on December 1, 2017.

The TDSAT accepted Dish TV’s appeal to withdraw the petition and noted in its order that it is not in dispute that the parties have entered into a fresh agreement under the new regime on account of the Regulations of 2017.

It noted that in view of such developments, the counsel for Dish TV submitted that the challenge mounted by the petitioner against the terms of the earlier Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO) of the the respondents had become academic.

Therefore, Dish TV’s petition may be permitted to be withdrawn with liberty to the petitioner that if an occasion arises, it would be free to challenge terms of the new Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO) of respondents (Sony Pictures Network India).

The tribunal clarified that Dish TV would be at liberty to raise its claim or seek relief through an appropriate proceeding in accordance with the law if it has any grievance in future.