DCC to take final call

In a setback for Bharti Airtel and the Vodafone-Idea, Attorney General KK Venugopal has backed the power of the telecom department to slap a Rs 3,050 cr penalty on the mobile operators – recommended by Trai – over the issue of interconnect provision to Reliance Jio.

Also, power of the regulator in recommending such a penalty have been upheld by the legal adviser & the joint secretary in the DoT, who has said that the same should be imposed immediately to save any losses to the exchequer.