Furious Supreme Court Warns Of Contempt Over Telecom Dues | Read

The Supreme Court today came down heavily on the government for suggesting reassessment of the huge dues owed by telecom companies -- called adjusted gross revenues (AGR) - and saying the "entire country" was being misled. The government had asked that the companies be allowed to stagger the payments over 20 years. "Are we fools? How is this not sheer contempt," asked the furious judges, calling it a question of "this court's prestige". If reassessment was permitted, the judges said, it would be fraud on the top court. "We won't spare officials who allowed reassessment of telecom dues," they said, ordering the Department of Telecom (DoT) to withdraw its petition.