Cabinet discusses AGR issue

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Friday is believed to have discussed statutory dues payment by telecom companies and the Supreme Court is likely to be appraised at the next date of hearing. The Supreme Court had last month asked Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea Ltd and other telcos to clear within a month dues that arose out of its October 2019 order that non-telecom revenues have to be included for calculating spectrum charges and license fee.

The debt-laden, loss-making telcos however sought government intervention in relaxing terms of the payments, including staggered payments spread over multiple years.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) reportedly sought a legal opinion from the law officer which is believed to have figured at the meeting of the Cabinet on Friday.