Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) has reportedly filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking exemption from paying interest, penalty, and interest on penalty related to its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues demanded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
In its application, Vi has requested an amendment to its earlier petition challenging the DoT’s additional AGR demand of Rs 94.50 billion till 2018-19. The amended plea now focuses on waiving charges over and above the principal AGR dues, arguing that the non-payment was bona fide and should not attract penalties.
The DoT had informed the court in 2020 that Vi’s AGR dues amounted to Rs 582.54 billion, including interest, penalty, and interest on penalty, calculated up to 2016-17. Vi has now contended that the outstanding statement provided by the department did not reflect the exact amount and that the latest demands go “above and beyond” what the Supreme Court had finalised in its judgments of July 20 and September 1, 2020.
Earlier, in May, the Supreme Court had dismissed a similar plea from Vi seeking a waiver of Rs 454.57 billion on interest and penalties but clarified that it would not obstruct the government if it chose to extend relief. Meanwhile, according to regulatory filings, as of March 2025, Vi’s outstanding AGR dues stood at Rs 834 billion. By June 30, its total debt obligations included Rs 1,945 billion owed to banks and Rs 1.99 trillion in deferred payments, covering spectrum (payable until 2043-44) and AGR dues (payable until 2030-31). Upcoming liabilities include an AGR instalment of Rs 164.28 billion in 2025-26 and spectrum payments of Rs 26.41 billion by June 2026.
