Justice Aftab Alam to be appointed TDSAT chief

The Telecom Ministry is planning to appoint retired Supreme Court judge Aftab Alam as chairman of Tribunal Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

Aftab Alam, who recently retired as a Supreme Court judge, is likely to be the new chairperson of the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). Altamas Kabir, Chief Justice of India, has recommended Alam for the post.

The top post at TDSAT fell vacant on November 2, 2012, after its previous chief, B Sinha, completed his tenure. In October 2012, Kabir had recommended former Supreme Court judge Cyriac Joseph for the TDSAT chief's post. However, Joseph is now being considered for the post of member, National Human Rights Commission.

Justice Alam enroled as an advocate on March 27, 1973. He practised in the Patna High Court and was designated as senior advocate by the Patna High Court on February 1, 1984. He was appointed as Judge of the Patna High Court on July 27, 1990 and was later transferred to the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, where he was appointed as the acting Chief Justice on June 06, 2007. He assumed office as Supreme Court judge on November 12, 2007.

According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, the chairperson of TDSAT should be appointed by the centre, in consultation with the Chief Justice of India. The TDSAT head has to be a judge or a former judge of the Supreme Court or chief justice or former chief justice of a high court.