Plea in Delhi High Court seeks waiver on unused phone or internet bills during COVID-19 lockdown

New Delhi: Telephone/internet bills “compulsorily not used” due to COVID-19 lockdown should be either wavied off or amount be deposited in the PM-Cares Fund to fight the disease, a petition filed in Delhi High Court on Thursday (April 30) pleaded.

Filed by a Delhi based lawyer SK Sharma through advocate Amit Sahni, the public interest litigation pleaded Delhi High Court to issue directions to all telephone operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) not to charge any amount for offices/shops/business houses/factories etc that remained “compulsorily closed” due to ‘lockdown’. The PIL also sought directions that the amount so charged/received by such telephone operators/ Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for “unused period of lockdown” may be directed to be deposited to the coronavirus relief fund initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The petitioner submitted before the court that COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, particularly those who are not working in organized sector and have no financial back up. It further said that there were numerous people who might not be getting a complete salary while many others may have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus crisis.

"The shops/offices/business houses/factories and almost all commercial establishment remained closed in order to abide by the orders of the government in order to maintain social distancing during the period of lockdown," it said. 

The petition stated that it had given a representation to the respondents, telecommunication companies and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), requesting that the Ministry of Finance be directed not to levy Goods and Service Tax (GST) on such bills. 

It also submitted that citizens cannot be charged for such services, which they were compelled not to utilize while observing directions issued by state/central governments.