SC's AGR observations a setback for Voda Idea; others may survive

The SC has not dictated the telcos to pay the dues right away, which shows its flexibility on the matter

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed telecom companies to file a reply on the roadmap and timeline of payment of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues and securities they can provide as guarantee. The apex court's order came on telecos' plea that they be allowed to spread the payment of their dues over 20 years or less. Moreover, the bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, also asked the Department of Telecom (DoT) to reconsider payment demand raised against the public sector undertakings (PSUs), saying "our judgement never even dealt with PSUs." The court will next hear the AGR case again on