Leading mobile operators including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, and Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL) have questioned the gov ernment’s move to direct the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to audit their books.

Leading mobile operators including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, and Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL) have questioned the government’s move to direct the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to audit their books. They have pointed out that the CAG’s purview does not extend to private operators as it is a constitutional body that conducts independent audits of government accounts.

The operator reaction follows the Ministry of Communications’ directive to Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications (RCOM), TTSL, Vodafone Essar and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to provide all documents relating to their accounting details for three years beginning 2006-07 to the CAG.