TDSAT reserves order on Vodafone's plea on one time spectrum fee

A single member bench of P K Rastogi is expected to pass its interim order on Tuesday.

The tribunal reserved the order after hearing the submissions of the Department of Telecom and Vodafone on the issue.

Additional Solicitor General A S Chaindok represented DoT, while Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi was from the Vodafone side.

On January 21, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal had issued notice to DoT asking it to file the reply within four weeks over the main petition of Vodafone.

The tribunal had also given three weeks time to Vodafone to file rejoinder over DoT's reply.

Vodafone is opposing DoT's move to levy one time charge on spectrum allocated to it beyond the initial allocation of 4.4Mhz that was issued to it along with licence.

The government had asked Vodafone to pay Rs. 3,599 crore and its first instalment of around Rs. 2,093 crore, was to be paid by Monday.