Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) has approached the Supreme Court with a writ petition seeking a waiver of approximately Rs 454.57 billion in its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. The relief sought pertains specifically to the interest, penalty, and interest on penalty components, while the company has excluded the principal amount of Rs 127.97 billion from its waiver request.
The matter is expected to be heard by the bench on May 19, 2025.
According to the petition, Vi’s AGR liability stood at approximately Rs 834 billion as of March 31, 2025. This figure includes Rs 282.94 billion in interest, Rs 60.12 billion in penalties, and Rs 111.51 billion as interest on the penalty. The company has already paid Rs 78.54 billion towards these liabilities and has partially converted its dues into equity in line with the 2021 telecom reform package.
Further, Vi has proposed that the principal demand of Rs 172.13 billion, as assessed in October 2019, be treated as final. It further urged that after adjusting for past payments and equity conversion, the remaining balance be limited to Rs 78.52 billion. The operator requested that this amount be payable over a 20-year schedule, with a five-year moratorium and no additional interest accumulation.
However, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in a letter dated April 29, 2025, turned down the representation, citing the Supreme Court’s binding September 2020 verdict on AGR dues. Furthermore, Vi has clarified in its petition that it is not challenging the original Supreme Court judgment but is instead requesting relief from its financial consequences, specifically the interest and penalties. The telco emphasised that the dues stem from contractual licence obligations and that its current financial distress is a result of extraordinary and unanticipated developments.
