The Waigani National Court has been asked to dismiss injunctive orders that was were issued on April 30, restraining the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA), from deactivating unregistered SIM cards.
Lawyers representing NICTA this morning submitted in court that the restraining orders should not be allowed to continue after today, as there is no new material to support the extension of the injunction.
The court will make a ruling on this motion after lunch today.
NICTA said there was no basis for the injunction to continue after Member for Madang, Bryan Kramer, sought an adjournment of seven days to file the necessary proceeding, which he intends to challenge the government-sanctioned exercise.
The National Information and Communications Technology Authority also asked the court to dismiss the proceeding based on non-compliance by Kramer on orders issued on April 30.
Kramer sought an adjournment to obtain a copy of the decision (Gazettal of regulation) by NICTA regarding de-activation to file his case.
It was further submitted in court by NICTA that the Government has spent close to K1 million on awareness following the gazettal of the regulation on 22 April 2016, and ample time or grace period was given to operators to register its subscribers.