SC gives telecom companies 10 years to clear AGR dues: All you need to know

The Supreme Court Tuesday granted 10 years to telecom firms such as Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices for paying the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR)-related dues to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) with certain conditions. The apex court asked telcos to pay 10 per cent of the AGR-related dues by March 31, 2021. A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra held that the demand made by the DoT and the verdict delivered by the top court in the matter are final. The bench delivered its verdict on the issues, including the time line for staggered payment of AGR-related dues amounting to about Rs 1.6 lakh crore. While pronouncing the verdict, the bench said that till the last instalment is paid by the telcos, their bank guarantees furnished to the DoT would be kept alive.