SC refuses to change AGR definition: How the story has unfolded so far

A look at the AGR definition controversy and it has played out since 1994, when companies were awarded telecom licences and the terms of reference for licence fees were defined

In a blow to telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone-Idea, the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected their plea to revise the government’s definition of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) and refused to give them any relief on their pending payment of close to Rs 50,000 crore. The apex court will later decide the timeframe within which the operators would have to pay up.

Here is a detailed timeline of events capturing the controversy:

1994: With the introduction of the National Telecom Policy, a number of companies were issued telecom licences, for which they were expected to pay a fixed fee every