1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India Act, 1997.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 25th day of January, 1997.
2. Definitions.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “appointed day” means the date with effect from which the Authority is established under
sub-section (1) of section 3;
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[(aa) “Appellate Tribunal” means the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal
established under section 14;]
(b) “Authority” means the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India established under sub-section
(1) of section 3;
(c) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Authority appointed under sub-section (3) of
section 3;
(d) “Fund” means the Fund constituted under sub-section (1) of section 22;
(e) “licensee” means any person licensed under sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Indian
Telegraph Act, 1885 (13 of 1885) for providing specified public telecommunication services;
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[(ea) “licensor” means the Central Government or the telegraph authority who grants a licence
under section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 (13 of 1885);]
(f) “member” means a member of the Authority appointed under sub-section (3) of section 3 and
includes the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson;
(g) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette;
(h) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(i) “regulations” means regulations made by the Authority under this Act;
(j) “service provider” means the 3
[Government as a service provider] and includes a licensee;
(k) “telecommunication service” means service of any description (including electronic mail,
voice mail, data services, audio tex services, video tex services, radio paging and cellular mobile
telephone services) which is made available to users by means of any transmission or reception of
signs, signals, writing, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature, by wire, radio, visual or other
electro-magnetic means but shall not include broadcasting services.
1. Subs. by Act 2 of 2000, s. 2, for “Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to regulate the telecommunication services,” (w.e.f.
24-1-2000).
2. Ins. by s. 3, ibid. (w.e.f. 24-1-2000).
3. Subs. by s. 3, ibid., for “Government” (w.e.f. 24-1-2000).
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[Provided that the Central Government may notify other service to be telecommunication service
including broadcasting services.]
(2) Words and expressions used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Indian Telegraph Act,
1885 (13 of 1885) or the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 (17 of 1933), shall have the meanings
respectively assigned to them in those Acts.
(3) Any reference in this Act to a law which is not in force in the State of Jammu and Kashmir* shall
in relation to that State be construed as a reference to the corresponding law, if any, in that State.