Convergence Bill to be passed in November

Cyber News Service


New Delhi

Once again, India hopes to figure among the list of elite countries to have passed laws for convergence of technologies. The details of the Bill on Convergence framed by the sub-group headed by Nari Faliman has been finalized by the Group of Ministers (GoM) under the Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha. According to Fali Nariman, the Bill is expected to be passed in the next session of the Parliament. Speaking about the recommendations, he said that there would be a super-regulator of all the three sectors in telecom, infotech and television broadcasting. This regulator would have expansive powers including licensing issues and spectrum management on the recommendations of the Wireless Commission. However, Nariman added that it was really not possible for the law to cover every aspect of the subject and a lot really depended on the implementation of the law where the spirit of the law was more important.

Nariman said that for want of a better name the regulator would be called a Commission. The real role of the Commission was to facilitate the process rather than regulate the market. The composition of the Commission would be high-powered five-member body who has achieved pre-eminence in life. Emphasizing on the importance of the composition of the body, Nariman said that it was important that members excel not only domestically but also have adequate international exposure.

As a beginning, the body can start with the appointment of two part-time members, he suggested.