AGR matter may end up in court yet again

NEW DELHI: Uncertainty has cropped up yet again in a matter that has already spent 15 years in the courts and was ostensibly settled “for the final time” by the Supreme Court just last month. Industry and government sources confirmed that the affected telecom companies and the Department of Telecom (DoT) have arrived at starkly divergent interpretations of the SC’s order.

If not resolved, it is likely to result in one of the parties approaching the SC again for clarification. The bench’s final verdict had ruled that “… respective Telecom Operators shall make the payment of 10 per cent of the total dues as demanded by DoT by 31.3.2021”. The rest would have to be paid in annual