The Union government has filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking permission to allocate spectrum through administrative processes in certain cases, instead of mandatory auctions. This move comes over a decade after the landmark 2G spectrum judgment, which had ordered the auction of spectrum to ensure fairness and transparency. The government’s plea argues that administrative allocation may be preferred in specific situations, such as for non-commercial spectrum assignments or when demand is lower than supply. The Supreme Court has agreed to consider the application, which also highlights the government’s reliance on the 2012 Presidential reference, which suggested that auction may not be the sole method for spectrum allocation.