 "Govt mops up Rs 1.09 lakh cr from sale of spectrum")
The spectrum auction ended on Wednesday after 19 days of fierce bidding.
The government had received provisional bids worth more than Rs 1.09 lakh crore ($17.5 billion) at the end of 110 rounds of bidding on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Department of Telecommunications.
Winning bidders need to pay a quarter to a third of the winning price initially and the rest by 2027. Spectrum revenue is key for the government to plug its fiscal deficit.
However, the government's payday could be delayed as the final allocations to the mobile phone operators will take place after March 26 when the Supreme Court issues its ruling on multiple cases questioning the auction guidelines and criteria.
($1 = 62.3350 rupees)
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