Cellular cos charge for ‘Gag Period’: Kashmir Inc threatens legal action

Even as the cellular operations remained suspended in Kashmir on the directions of the government for over two weeks amid the ongoing unrest, the private cellular companies have issued bills even for this period.
Scores of post-paid subscribers of private cellular companies in Kashmir expressed strong resentment against what they termed “unjust” action by these companies.
“Each month I receive bills from my Vodafone number amounting to Rs 547, but this month despite the fact that their services and internet remained barred, they have raised bill amounting to Rs 599 which is unjustified as for most of the period their services remained down,” said Imran Ahmad, a Vodafone subscriber.
The post-paid subscribers of other cellular companies including Airtel, Aircel, Reliance and Idea resented the “insensitive attitude” of these companies for even the gagged period.
Meanwhile, the Valley’s apex business chamber, KCCI, has threatened to take legal recourse against the cellular companies.
In a statement issued by the Secretary General, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Faiz Bakshi strongly condemned the telecom service providers for billing the consumers for services not provided to them for 20 days when the services including internet services were disconnected.
Bakshi said the companies should withdraw the bills forthwith failing which “legal action will be initiated against them.”