**Vodafone Idea Files Amended Petition in Supreme Court Seeking AGR Relief**
*By Mudit Dube | Sep 29, 2025, 04:36 PM*
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has submitted an amended petition in the Supreme Court, requesting a waiver of interest and penalties on its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. The company also sought a fresh recalculation of its AGR liabilities, referencing earlier court cases where similar demands were accepted.
This latest petition expands upon Vi’s previous plea, which was limited to seeking only a recalculation of AGR dues.
### Hearing Postponed to October 6
The Supreme Court had postponed the hearing on Vi’s plea to October 6. During the last hearing, the Centre stated it did not oppose Vi’s request but emphasized the need for a resolution, highlighting that the government itself is now an equity holder in Vodafone Idea.
The hearing is related to the Department of Telecom’s (DoT) demand of ₹5,606 crore for the financial year 2016-17 against Vi.
### Legal Arguments in the Amended Petition
In its amended petition, Vodafone Idea argued that the AGR dues in question were already “crystallized” following the 2019 AGR judgment, and therefore could not be reopened for reassessment.
The petition also cited previous judgments where courts granted waivers, and requested that the interest, penalties, and interest on penalties applied on the principal AGR dues be waived.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, requested the adjournment of the hearing to October 6.
### Case Background and Significance
The dispute originates from the Supreme Court’s March 18, 2020 order, which upheld the DoT’s calculation of AGR dues up to the financial year 2017 and barred any further reassessment by telecom operators. However, despite this ruling, the DoT has issued fresh claims for the years 2018 and 2019.
Vodafone Idea contends that much of these new demands overlap with periods already settled by the apex court.
### Government’s Equity Stake in Vodafone Idea
Following the conversion of dues worth ₹53,083 crore into equity, the Central government now holds a 48.99% stake in Vodafone Idea.
Out of the fresh demand of ₹9,450 crore, ₹2,774 crore is directed towards Idea Group and Vodafone Idea (post-merger), while ₹6,675 crore pertains to Vodafone Group for the pre-merger period.
Vi’s outstanding AGR dues currently stand at ₹83,400 crore, with annual installments of ₹18,000 crore commencing in March. Including penalties and interest, the company’s total liability to the government is estimated at around ₹2 lakh crore.
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This ongoing case holds critical implications for the telecom sector, especially concerning regulatory clarity and the financial health of operators like Vodafone Idea. The Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing is keenly awaited by industry stakeholders.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/vodafone-idea-files-amended-petition-for-agr-relief-in-sc/story
