By Indu Bhan
Copyright indiatimes
AgenciesVodafone Idea
The Supreme Court is likely hear on Friday cash-strapped Vodafone Idea’s petition seeking quashing of the Department of Telecommunications’ move to raise an additional demand of Rs 9,450 crore toward Adjusted gross Revenue (AGR) related dues until FY19.The instalment of the AGR dues, including the additional amount, is due by March 31, 2026.Vi challenged the additional demand by the DoT citing earlier Supreme Court judgements, which had sealed the amount until FY17 and refused to alter or change the liability. It said that despite the apex court having crystallised all the liabilities in respect of AGR on Vi till FY17, the department has been raising additional demand for that period stating that the dues claimed were above and beyond the AGR dues.Vi stated that the additional demand raised by DoT in respect of AGR runs counter to the apex court’s judgment of July 20, 2020, and subsequent order of September 1, 2020. It claimed that the highest court had prohibited re-assessment of the AGR dues, and, therefore, the DoT’s move was “unjust, unfair and arbitrary” in seeking additional demands.“The claims now being made by the DoT, which are in excess of Rs 5960 crore are clearly indicative of the fact that even as per the DoT, certain demands were missed out or are being revised on account of departmental assessments,” it stated.Live EventsAccording to the petition, the apex court had in a detailed judgment of September 1, 2020 on the computation of AGR had crystalised all liabilities in respect of AGR on Vodafone for the period up to 2016-17, the petition said, adding that this court prohibited any reassessment of the AGR dues as crystallised by it.“DoT had on August 13 issued another letter to Vodafone regarding the outstanding license fee dues (up to FY 2018-19) covered in the moratorium and allegedly not tabulated in the SC order of September 1, 2020. A sum of approximately Rs 9450 crore has been computed by the DoT which is to be considered with reference to the scheduled payment due on March 31, 2026.”In this sum of approximately Rs 9450 crore, the majority amount of approximately Rs 5606 crore (as on March 31, 2025) is for the period upto FY 2016-17 which has already been crystalised by the court. The additional demand pertains only to license fee dues. But if additional SUC demands for the period upto FY 2016-17 are also considered, the amount is approximately Rs 6800 crore (as on March 31, 2025), the petition stated.Stating that the department cannot unilaterally raise subsequent additional AGR demands for the period upto FY 2016-17 without first correcting the arithmetical/clerical errors which exist in the demands already raised, VI said that while the DoT is at liberty to raise fresh/revised demands, it was not being permitted to seek correction of assessments made by DoT which have been thrusted upon the it and there are several instances of double counting of some revenue items.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onVodafone Idea Supreme CourtAGR dues Vodafone IdeaDoT additional demand Vodafone IdeaVodafone Idea financial issuesSupreme Court AGR judgmentBharti Airtel AGR duesVodafone Idea pay AGR duestelecom operators AGR duesVodafone Idea(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
