Airtel to pay AGR dues of Rs 10,000 cr by Feb 20, balance by March 17

Bharti Airtel will pay an initial deposit of AGR dues of Rs 10,000 crore by 20 February to the government and will pay the balance amount by the next scheduled date of hearing in SC-March 17. Airtel has statutory dues of
over Rs 35,000 crore to pay the government.

” In compliance with the judgement of the Supreme Court and its direction today we shall deposit a sum of Rs 10,000 crore (on account ) by 20th February on behalf of Bharti Group companies (Bharti Airtel, Bharti Hexacom and Telenor India). We are confident we will complete the self assessment exercise shortly and make a balance payment well before the next date of hearing fixed by the Supreme Court,” said Airtel in a letter to the telecom department on Friday .

The telecom firm’s payment is on the back of the apex court directing the telcos to pay their dues by the next hearing, or risk being hauled up for contempt
. The apex court tore into the government and the telecom companies for not abiding by the court order directing the recovery of AGR dues worth Rs 1.47 lakh crore from the companies.

Airtel said in the interim period it will complete its self assessment and said the calculation is “complicated” as it spans across “22 circles, multiple licenses and a substantial period of time and is hence time consuming”.