Govt backs 20 years to pay AGR dues\, Airtel\, Voda Idea seek 15 years\, SC reserves order

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its order on the timeline for staggered payment of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues, even as Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel said that 15 years was a reasonable timeframe to pay their dues, while the government stuck to a 20-year period.

“Heard parties on liability and timeframe for making the payment. While hearing the matter, attempts were made to wriggle out of the liability like asking for reassessment and recalculations,” a three-judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said. “Second innings being played”

Mishra added that the government amounts be taken as final and that no reassessment can be made.

Further, the bench said that it will examine the bonafides of telcos such as Reliance Communications, Aircel, Videocon and Sistema Shyam, who have gone into insolvency, but have large pending AGR dues

“Let all the documents be put on record within 10 days from today,” the bench ruled.

It will next hear the details around telecom insolvencies on August 10.