US-based Law Firm Curtis to Represent India in Vodafone Arbitration

The government has appointed New York-based law firm Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle as its counsel in the Vodafone tax arbitration case.

"The New York-based law firm Curtis, which has represented India in other cases, have been engaged by the government in the Vodafone case," a senior finance ministry official told PTI.

Following arbitration notice by Vodafone in the Rs 20,000 crore tax case, the government had appointed former Chief Justice of India R C Lahoti as its arbitrator.

Vodafone International Holdings B.V. in April had served arbitration notice under the Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (BIPA) between India and the Netherlands for resolving the dispute.

The case pertains to capital gains tax dispute related to the acquisition of Hutchison Whampoa's stake in Hutchison Essar by British telecom giant Vodafone in 2007.

Although the Vodafone won the tax case in the Supreme Court, the then UPA government amended the tax laws with retrospective effect to recover the dues.

While the basic tax demand was Rs 7,990 crore, the total outstanding, including interest and penalty, is estimated to have risen to Rs 20,000 crore.