Airtel, Vodafone Idea await SC decision on staggered payment of AGR dues

Both companies had sought 20 years time to make payment

The Supreme Court (SC) is expected to give its final verdict in the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) case on Monday. This will decide whether the telecom companies — Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea – will be allowed a relaxed payment structure for clearing the dues they owe to the Union government. 

Both the companies had sought 20 years to make their AGR payment to the government. Vodafone Idea has so far paid Rs 7,854 crore of its Rs 50,399 crore dues. 

The company had pleaded that it should be allowed to make the remaining payment in a staggered manner over 20 years as it was under tremendous financial stress and was also unable to pay salaries to its employees. The company provisioned over Rs 19,900 crore towards AGR payment and other dues during the first quarter of the current financial year. 

According to government estimates, Bharti Airtel owes Rs 43,780 crore of AGR dues, of which the company has paid Rs 18,004 crore, leaving Rs 25,976 crore in  balance payment. Tata Teleservices has paid about Rs 4,197 crore and the balance amount due is about Rs 12,601 crore.