Twin gains from 2G verdict – M.J.Antony

Natural resources belong to people, the court emphasised. The state legally owns them on behalf of its people and from that point of view natural resources are considered as national assets, more so because the state benefits immensely from their value. The state is empowered to distribute natural resources.

“However, as they constitute public property/national asset, while distributing natural resources, the state is bound to act in consonance with the principles of equality and public trust and ensure that no action is taken which may be detrimental to public interest,” the court stated, and added that “like any other state action, constitutionalism must be reflected at every stage of the distribution of natural resources.”

Spectrum is a scarce, finite and renewable natural resource that is susceptible to degradation in case of inefficient utilisation. It has high economic value in the light of the demand for it on account of the tremendous growth in the telecom sector.

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