The order was notified just four days after the Government directed the TRAI to keep it in abeyance following a strong protest by the Trinamool Congress, an ally of the ruling BJP-led coalition. The TRAI's gamble here is clear: It has virtually challenged the Government to ``order'' withdrawal of the gazette notification.

TRAI Chairman Justice S S Sodhi told The Indian Express it was not a new notification and pertained to its tariff order of March 9. However, copies of the notification reached the TRAI office only a couple of days ago. This clearly implies that despite receiving a letter from the telecom secretary on March 10 to keep its order in abeyance, the TRAI decided not to stop the printing of the gazettenotification.

According to reliable sources, the tariff order went for printing much after March 10, the day the TRAI received directions from the telecom secretary. In fact, the Hindi translation of the notification, obtained from a private company, Anuvaad, had not even reached the TRAI office on that day. Without the Hindi translation, according to the Government of India Official Language Rules, no gazette notification is accepted at the Government printing press.

The TRAI's move is likely to bring matters to a flashpoint where the Prime Minister may have to step in and resolve the ugly row between the authority and the Ministry of Communications.

While Minister for Communications Jagmohan refused to comment on the matter today, it is unlikely that he would take this development lightly, particularly because it was he who had assured Parliament about not effecting the tariff hikes. He has, in fact, been extremely critical about the merits of the TRAI's proposals.

The TRAI top brass on the otherhand has been closeted with top officials in the Prime Minister's Office over the past couple of days, asking them to resolve the row. In fact, they have virtually threatened the PMO with adverse consequences on the Foreign Direct Investment front if the TRAI was weakened.

The TRAI had on March 9 announced a package of rebalancing tariffs which would result in a steep hike in telephone rentals and local call rates while slashing STD and ISD rates by almost 22 per cent to 30 per cent.