ORDER

1. Heard Mr. Harish N. Salve, learned senior counsel along with Ms. Madhavi Divan, learned counsel for the petitioners, Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, learned Attorney General, Mr. Tushar Mehta and Mr. P.S. Narasimha, learned Additional Solicitor General for the Union of India, Mr. Kapil Sibal, learned senior counsel for the respondent No.2, WhatsApp Inc., Mr. Sidharth Luthra, learned senior counsel for the respondent No.3, Facebook Inc., and Mr. Sanjay Kapur, learned counsel for the respondent No.5.

2. At the commencement of the hearing, after giving some introduction with regard to the functioning of the internet, Mr. Harish N. Salve, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioners, drew our attention to the affidavit filed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the respondent No.5 and the counter affidavit that has been filed by the Union of India, the respondent No.1. At this juncture, Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, learned Attorney General for India has submitted that the stand of the Union of India is that there is going to be a regulatory regime to save the data base to guide the concept of net-neutrality.

3. On being questioned, what are the real issues involved, before Mr. S