Supreme Court defers Vodafone Idea plea against extra AGR demand to October 6

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) urged the Supreme Court of India on Friday (September 26, 2025) to hear a plea filed by Vodafone-Idea challenging a demand of more than ₹5,000 crore in additional Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues after the court’s Dussehra break.

September 26 is the last working day for the court before the break, which would continue for the entire next week.

Need finality of proceedings in AGR dispute, Supreme Court tells Vodafone Idea, DoT

 A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai agreed to an oral request made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for DoT, to defer the hearing to October 6, the day the court re-opens. 

The fresh litigation comes only months after the apex court had rejected earlier petitions by Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (VI) and Tata Teleservices seeking relief in the payment of their interest on the dues, penalty and interest on the penalty towards their respective AGR liabilities on the ground that they were under severe financial constraints. The apex court had, in its order in May, concluded their pleas to be “misconceived.”

Watch: Why did the government give Vodafone-Idea a lifeline? | Business Matters

In fact, the Chief Justice had voiced the need for finality in the AGR litigation. Exactly a year ago, on September 19, 2024, the Supreme Court had dismissed a curative petition filed by telcos, including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, against the court’s October 2019 judgment upholding the DoT’s move to recover AGR of about ₹92,000 crore from them.

VI has sought the court’s intervention on the additional AGR demand raised by the DOT for the 2016-2017 period. The company said the liabilities have already been calculated, and cannot be changed or increased. It has urged the court to quash the additional DoT demand and sought a comprehensive re-assessment and reconciliation of AGR dues for the period till FY 2016-17.