Independent TV yet to make required payments or furnish bank guarantee to Antrix for the supply of signals

Independent TV has failed to agree to a deal with Antrix to date to resume its supply of signals leaving its plans to relaunch Independent TV as ITV 2.0 in limbo.

The Telecom Disputes and Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on Wednesday hearing Independent TV’s broadcasting petition said that the DTH operator was yet to make the required payments or furnishing the bank guarantee needed for the resumption of supply of signals.

The court order stated ” Since the petitioner has not been able to make the required payments or furnishing the bank guarantee, as indicated in the last order passed on 2.7.2019, the resumption of supply of signals has not happened. The petitioner should make the payments at the earliest. Post the matter under the same head-on 12.9.2019. It is unfortunate that in the last order, in the cause title, the name of the learned counsel for Respondent nos. 2 to 4, Mr A P Sahay was left out by mistake. Let that be corrected and it will be treated that he has appeared on the last date. “

Independent TV had on 3rd August via its social media handles said that it was working on relaunching operations by August 15, 2019. It had also said that efforts to comply with various directives of Government are underway to meet the stated objectives. It promised to give due credit to its customers for the disconnection in their wallets when the service resumes. DreamDTH had earlier reported the DTH operator’s Halchal Project which planned to relaunch Independent TV as ITV 2.0.

With seven days left for August 15 it seems highly unlikely that ITV 2.0 will launch its operations given its past track record.