President Pratibha Devisingh Patil today signed the Presidential reference from the Supreme Court on its February 2 judgment, which cancelled all 122 licences issued for the allocation of 2G spectrum. Information and Broadcasting minister Ms Ambika Soni informed this to reporters after a cabinet meeting in New Delhi. The Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Telecom minister Kapil Sibal met President on the issue this morning.

AIR correspondent reports, questions on which the government wants a clarity from the apex court include whether auctioning of natural resources is the only correct way. The advantage of seeking a presidential reference is that once the President writes to the Chief Justice of India, he will set-up a special constitution bench comprising at least five judges to decide upon questions raised by the government.
The Supreme Court has already dismissed the review petitions of private telecom companies against its judgment cancelling all the licences.