AGR: SC pulls up Centre, telcos
New Delhi, March 18
The SC today pulled up the Centre and telecom companies for doing self-assessment or reassessment of the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues fixed by the apex court in its verdict given on October 24 last year.
We will be party to fraud if we allow self-assessment of AGR dues by telecom companies
The top court, which was also anguished by frequently published newspaper articles on the AGR issue, said all MDs of telecom companies will be personally responsible and held for contempt of court for any such future write-ups hiding the truth.
A Bench of Justice Arun Mishra, Justice SA Nazeer and Justice MR Shah refused to take up the Centre’s plea for allowing telecom companies to pay AGR dues in 20 years, saying the application will be taken up after two weeks.
“The time frame of 20 years is unreasonable. The telecom companies have to clear all dues mentioned in the judgment,” the Bench said, adding it had settled all AGR dues after hearing telecom companies and the government then had fought tooth and nail for interests and penalties. — PTI
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