A consumer tribunal in India has ordered a ban on mobile phone contests, saying such competitions fall under unfair trade practices, a news report said Saturday.

Delhi's consumer redress commission directed all telecom companies to stop announcing schemes, contests or lotteries for mobile phone subscribers, the Hindustan Times reported.

"The contests are being held not for the interest of phone users, but merely to ensure that they make more calls to generate more revenue for cellular companies," the report quoted justice J.D. Kapoor, President of the commission, as saying.

The order came in response to a complaint by a consumer association that accused Vodafone Essar Mobile Services, which provides cellular services under the Hutch brand, of violating Indian consumer protection law by holding such contests.