Hello, Your Lordship.

(From Indian Express)

In the name of ''better relations and goodwill with the Supreme Court,'' the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) has given to the Chief Justice of India, his 25 fellow judges and the three court registrars the following: a free Nokia 3350 cellphone each, free roaming, free ISD and STD dialling facility, free Voice Mail, calls worth Rs 2,000 free each month, waiver of both activation charge and security deposit for international calls. This works out (see box) to Rs 4.19 lakh as a one-time expense and an additional expense of about Rs 7.47 lakh annually. NOT A LOT OF MONEY BUT A FEW QUESTIONS One-time expenses * 29 Nokia phones at Rs 7,399 per phone: Cost Rs 2,14,571 * Waiver of activation charges (Rs 1,050) and security deposit (Rs 6,000) for 29 phones: Cost Rs 2,04,450. TOTAL : Rs 4,19,021 Expenses (every year) * Internet CD at Rs 1,050 per year for 29 phones: Rs 30,450 * Roaming charges waiver at 60 per month: Rs 20,880 * Rs 2,000 discount on monthly bills: Rs 6.96 lakh Total : Rs 7,57,330 per year * Conduct rules set by the court itself make it clear that no judge should seek any benefit in the form of a perk or privilege unless "clearly available." * SC is hearing a case which could affect MTNL since it involves norms for WiLL phones. 'What conflict of interest?' * L C Bhadoo, SC Registrar Gen: "What conflict of interest?...Private companies are also after us with discounts. We have opted for a Government company." * MTNL's Chief General Manager: "The need to generate goodwill ...is essential in a highly competitive market."

This isn't a lot of money but there are other questions although both MTNL and the Supreme Court Registrar General, when contacted by The Sunday Express dismissed any issues of propriety or conflict of interest. [angle quotation mark, right] For one, the receipt of the phones and benefits contradict judges' conduct rules, prescribed by the Supreme Court itself: ''A judge should not seek any financial benefit in the form of a perquisite or privilege attached to his office unless it is clearly available. Any doubt in this behalf must be got resolved and clarified through the Chief Justice.'' In this case, however, Court Registrar R C Gandhi, in his letter to MTNL, says that the Chief Justice has ''given his consent'' to the agreement. [angle quotation mark, right] Incidentally, the Supreme Court is hearing a case which could affect MTNL. Private cellular operators have taken the Government to court claiming that wireless-in-local-loop mobile phones should be subject to the same licensing and tariff regulations as their cellphones. [angle quotation mark, right] MTNL's discounted offer to the judges is not available to any customer, individual or corporate since it needs, as MTNL officials themselves admit, a clearance from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. [angle quotation mark, ...