Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd (SSTL), which provides CDMA services under the MTS brand, has filed a petition before the Supreme Court asking it to review the cancellation of its 21 telecom licenses.

SSTL has become the second telecom operator after Tata Telecommunications to file a review petition in Supreme Court against the cancellation of its licences. Tata Telecommunications had filed its petition earlier this week (See: Tata Teleservices seeks review of SC judgment on licenses cancellation). Licences were granted to Tata Teleservices for three circles in Assam, North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

SSTL said in a statement it believes that the Supreme Court in its judgment had not considered several relevant submissions made by the operator, which were specific and unique to its case.

The company "also believes it is being unfairly penalised for acting in good faith and in reliance on the appropriateness of the procedures established by India's telecommunications authorities," it said.

''We believe that SSTL's case being a CDMA operator is different, when compared to other affected mobile operators. It is pertinent to note that SSTL was the only operator to have applied for a pan-India CDMA spectrum in 2008. There is no finding or suggestion by the CAG report that CDMA spectrum was equally or anywhere near in demand as GSM. Even now, our company continues to be the only pure play CDMA operator in the country," Vsevolod Rozanov, President and CEO, SSTL.

"In light of our commitment to continue our pan-Indian operations and to protect the interest of more than 15 million customers and our investments, we have filed for a review of the said judgment before the Supreme Court,'' he added.

Earlier in the week, Russian conglomerate Sistema JSFC asked the Indian government to settle a dispute over a court order to revoke 21 telecom licenses held SSTL, within six months or face the prospect an international arbitration (See: Sistema invokes bilateral pact to save its investments).

SSTL is a joint venture company, with Sistema – the holding firm of Russian billionaire Vladimir Evtushenkov – owning 56.68 percent and India's Shyam Group and the Russian government being other key shareholders.

The Supreme Court cancelled 122 2G licences provided after January 2008 in on grounds they were issued in a ''totally arbitrary and unconstitutional'' manner. The court also directed Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to make fresh recommendations 2G license allocations (See: SC cancels all 2G licences, orders fresh spectrum auction).