India’s Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Vodafone’s Plea Over Payments
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India’s top court agreed to hear a plea by Bharti Airtel Ltd. and Vodafone Idea Ltd. seeking more time to negotiate terms of payment for the $7 billion the two operators owe the government in back-fees, providing temporary relief to the indebted wireless carriers.
The matter will be taken up next week by judges led by Arun Mishra, according to the order by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde. It will also decide whether the matter will be heard in the open court or not. In October, the court had directed the firms to pay the dues accumulated over the past years from the use of airwaves and licenses.