Supreme Court refuses stay, Airtel and Vodafone Idea served notices
Big news for Airtel and Vodafone Idea: The Supreme Court just refused to stay the government's request to pause a Bombay High Court decision that scrapped a hefty ₹3,300 crore spectrum fee.
This fee was for using extra mobile network bandwidth between 2008 and 2012.
Now, both companies have been handed notices as the government appeals the High Court's ruling.
Bombay HC quashes DoT 2012 fee
Back in 2012, the Department of Telecommunications slapped this one-time charge on telecoms after a recommendation from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
The Cabinet approved it retroactively using auction prices from that year.
The Bombay High Court threw it out, saying there wasn't enough legal or contractual backing.
With lawyers on both sides gearing up for more courtroom action, we'll have to wait and see how this battle plays out.