Centre sets up additional High-Level Committee to mediate commercial disputes in telecom sector

In a move aimed at streamlining dispute resolution and easing friction in India’s telecom ecosystem, the Ministry of Communications has constituted an Additional High-Level Committee (HLC) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to mediate commercial (non-licensing) disputes involving its offices and public sector undertakings.

The committee comprises three eminent members including Dr. Justice (Retd.) Sudhir Kumar Jain, former judge of the Delhi High Court, Mr. Thiru M. Madhavan Nambiar, retired IAS officer and former Secretary to the Government of India, and Mr. Ajay Kumar Sahu, retired Director General (Telecom), DoT.

According to the official memorandum dated June 4, 2024, the committee will serve two main functions. Authenticate negotiated settlements: The HLC may vet solutions proposed by government departments or agencies after direct negotiations with the opposite party. Act as a mediator: Upon mutual consent of disputing parties, the committee can mediate and help arrive at voluntary settlements.

The HLC’s formation is significant for India’s telecom industry, which is frequently embroiled in contractual and financial disputes involving vendors, consultants, and infrastructure partners.

Each mediation will be completed within five sittings over a maximum span of six months. The sittings will be held in New Delhi, either at Sanchar Bhawan or Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan. The DoT will bear the expenses related to these proceedings (excluding the second party's mediation fee). Each committee member will receive Rs 10,000 per sitting from both parties, along with travel and logistical reimbursements, as specified in the office memorandum.

The committee’s constitution follows the DoT’s earlier scheme of mediation announced in November 2024, reinforcing the ministry's shift toward quicker and less adversarial dispute resolution frameworks.