The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has granted Tata Play time until February 3 to respond to allegations made by Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) that the direct-to-home (DTH) operator delayed sharing subscriber-related data with an independent auditor. The direction came during the hearing of an ongoing commercial dispute between the two companies.

According to an Economic Times report, SPNI informed the tribunal that Tata Play had not been cooperating fully with the audit process, which was initiated to verify subscriber numbers and related commercial calculations. SPNI operates 28 television channels, while Tata Play is one of India’s largest DTH platforms with around 16.5 million subscribers.

The disagreement between the broadcaster and the DTH operator dates back to May, when talks over commercial terms broke down. Following this, Tata Play removed Sony’s channels from its bundled subscription packs, although the channels continue to be available to subscribers on an a la carte basis. The move had a direct impact on distribution revenues and led to the present legal proceedings.

During the hearing, senior counsel Amit Sibal, appearing for SPNI, submitted before the tribunal that Tata Play’s alleged delay in sharing data with the independent auditor was hampering the verification exercise and undermining transparency. He argued that timely data access was essential to resolve the dispute fairly and in accordance with regulatory norms.

Tata Play, on its part, is expected to file its detailed response by the February 3 deadline, after which the tribunal is likely to examine the matter further. The case is being closely watched by the broadcasting and distribution industry, as it highlights recurring tensions between broadcasters and platform operators over pricing, data sharing and subscription models in an increasingly competitive market.