In a major relief to Vodafone Idea Ltd., the Supreme Court on Monday allowed the central government to reconsider AGR dues issue. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta highlighted that the government owns 49% stake in the carrier that serves 20 crore customers in India.
Chief Justice BR Gavai said any decision will have a direct bearing on these 20 crores customers. "We see no issue in the Union reconsidering the issue and taking appropriate steps," he said.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the company.
In September, the troubled carrier sought a waiver of penalty and interest on adjusted gross revenue demand of Rs 9,450 crore raised by the Department of Telecommunications, contending that a substantial portion of the demand pertains to the pre-FY17 period already settled by the apex court in 2020.
The company argued that the demand goes beyond the scope of the apex court’s earlier ruling on AGR liabilities, as per reports. Of the total dues, Rs 2,774 crore pertains to the post-merger Vodafone Idea entity, while Rs 5,675 crore relates to liabilities of the pre-merger Vodafone Group.
The government has become the single largest shareholder in Vodafone Idea after acquiring shares worth Rs 36,950 crore in lieu of outstanding spectrum auction dues in March. Earlier, the government had acquired around 33% stake in 2023 in lieu of statutory dues worth over Rs 16,000 crore.
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