SC stays Raj HC order to uninstall Reliance Jio tower

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the operation of the interim order of the Rajasthan High Court asking for uninstalling several 3G and 4G ground-based mast towers installed by Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd in Jaipur."The operation of the interim order passed by the High Court to the extent to uninstall the towers which in fact is the final relief granted is thereby stayed till next date of hearing," a vacation bench comprising Justices Prafulla C Panth and Amitava Roy said while posting the matter for hearing on July 4.Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd had moved the apex court against the Rajasthan High Court's May 22 interim order, which also banned new installations.The High Court had passed the interim order on the petition filed by I S Israni, a retired judge of the High Court and a Jaipur resident who had alleged that 4G base towers were being erected in the city without the permission of the Jaipur Development Authority.The High Court had said those towers for which permission has not been taken would have to be uninstalled within four weeks.The apex court said "towers already installed should not have been asked to be uninstalled in an interim order". It did not pass any order on installation of more towers.It also asked Justice (Retd) Israni and other petitioners before the High Court to respond to Reliance Jio's appeal.The high court had noted the allegations that the towers were being installed indiscriminately and without proper permission. The order also said that 1,800 more towers were to come up in the city.However, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Reliance Jio, submitted that the proposal was only for 400 towers, of which the company had express permission for 175 and deemed permission for 40. Installation of 1800 towers are in pipeline.