Re: Is India a model Democracy?

[Padmanabha Rao <kvprao@igidr.ac.in>]

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On Mon, 15 Jan 2001, Cprakash wrote:
 The government is not doing that. We have the auction of only one
 frequecy 107.1 Fm in mumbai. why ? what about 107.2, 107.0, 106.9, etc.
 I hope my words are clearer by this example.

Yes, I agree there seems to be no case to auction just one frequency. But
I think there's more to it, or perhaps I haven't understood it properly.
Provided that the National Frequency Allocation Plan has kept a certain
band for broadcasting (100-117.975 MHz ?), on what basis can the
government auction the band as a *continuum* ? A radio service, as we
presently know it, is based on a single frequency and not a band. How can
the auctioneer decide what frequencies to auction; I mean just as 107.2
one can ask for 107.100001 MHz too. So the government can so much as only
auction the license to a contested frequency and simply price-license the
uncontested ones (the contests or otherwise is of course not the
argument). So the notion of the frequency *number* itself would be flawed
as an argument, wouldn't it ? Or perhaps I am unable to see the question
properly and would appreciate a clarification here. I agree though that it
would be a case if the government *refuses* to license another frequency
in the allocated band when someone applies for it. Has there been such a
case ? Are you aware of any such incidence ?

Thanks.

Padmanabha Rao


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