MUMBAI: A division bench of the Mumbai High Court hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Mumbai High Court early this year - or the "cable case" as it has come to be known - has scheduled the next hearing for 23 July.

In fact, even as a High Court division bench comprising Chief Justice CL Thakker and VK Tahilaramani heard the various arguments, important developments related to pricing of pay channels were taking place in Delhi. 

After hearing arguments from the various parties, the judges fixed the next date for hearing as 13 July.

However, they modified the interim relief order dated 7 March stating that cable operators will be permitted to recover 10 per cent more than the cable rates appicable (or charged to consumers) in December 2002. It added that the consumers are liable to pay these rates till 13 July 2003 to avoid disconnections. This modified order will continue till the matter is decided by the court and subject to the final outcome of the case hearing.

The High Court order dated 7 March 2003 had led to a lot of confusion amongst the trade and different constituents had interpreted it differently (read Conflicting claims over Mumbai High Court ruling of 7 March).