Judgment 1. This matter has been filed as a Public interest Litigation by an Association of persons who calls itself Sangharsh Samiti Nadwan from village Nadwan P.S. Dhanarua, district Patna and Masaurhi Anumandaliya Vikas Samittee, Masaurhi, Patna Mohalla Kumhar Toli, Taregna Gola Road, P.S. Masaurhi, district Patna. 2. The main contention on the petition is that the tariff which has been fixed for the Masaurhi Telephone Exchange should be in accordance with the rent fixed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority India (TRAI) and as published in the news papers. A sample is appended as annexure 1. The contention is that the tariffs as fixed for Masaurhi should be no different as have been made for other exchanges, namely, Danapur, Nadaul, Sampatchak and Simera. The contention also is that a different tariff is being charged for an urban area and a rural area which surrounds the Subdivision of Masaurhi. 3. The first question is whether this Court should go into the tariff rates provided for an urban area and rural areas on the public circular which has been issued prescribing tariff rates. Apparently the petitioners have not noticed the fine print in the circular. The tariff rates as have been provided refer to two classifications (a) "Gramin Upbhokta" implying the rural consumer and "Shahari Upbhokta" implying urban consumers. Admittedly, the rates so prescribed in so far as the tariffs are concerned, upon quantum of calls the rates for village area at times are less. The contention on the petition is not that two adjacent neighbours either of the rural area or urban area have been saddled with different tariffs. 4. Further, the Court inquired that notwithstanding the contention on the petition on what exactly would be the connectivity of the exchanges identified for the areas at Kadam Kuan, Patna Main Mahanagar, Danapur, Nadaul, Sampatchak and Simera. The answer given to the Court on random telephone numbers is : Kadam Kuan, Patna 658383 Masauri 434935 Danapur 427889 Nadaul 401025 Sampatchak 494084 5. The petitioners failed to appreciate that while the access to the Patna Mahanagar Telephones numbers is 0612, the sub-division exchanges carry identification prefex as 65, 43, 42, 40 and 49. 6. This is a matter basically of high tech telecommunication circuits, and the High Court is illequipped to go into and examine the technicalities of rates which may have been prescribed by the Government of India.
6. This is a matter basically of high tech telecommunication circuits, and the High Court is illequipped to go into and examine the technicalities of rates which may have been prescribed by the Government of India. If a rural area has been given a different rate then this may be a subsidy and this is a matter of policy. 7. Since there is no contention that side by side neighbours in the same area have been discriminated, this is not a matter in which the Court should go into a roving inquiry into a different tariff rates. 8. Consigned. 9. Dismissed.