Why govt should be first to protest its win in SC against Vodafone Idea, Airtel

Regardless of who has been at the helm of affairs, the Indian government has been known to treat the telecom industry as the goose that lays golden eggs. For years, the industry met the expectations by buying spectrum at absurd prices, enriching the government in the process.

It’s another matter the goose has progressively grown weaker, and golden eggs have been a thing of the past. There seems to be a glimmer of hope, with the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that telcos need to pay the government licence fee dues, along with penalties and interest, amounting to more than ₹92,500 crore, according to numbers collated by the industry.

Ironically, this was a case the government was better off losing. It should now be the first to protest the court ruling.