Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) of India has written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) seeking relief from the implementation of the AGR rules. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) recently announced that AGR rules will be applicable not just on telcos but on all telecom license holders.
As per ISPs, such a move would have serious financial implications on oil and gas companies, power producers, the railways, data centres and others that have taken telecom licences but were not part of the litigation involving telcos.
In its note ISPA highlighted that implementing the order on non-telecom companies might not be legally sustainable.
Further, drawing the government’s attention on section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act, ISPAI argued that the government should consider revenue from telecom services alone and exclude non-telecom and notional revenue.
