Bharti Airtel wins relief as Bombay HC sets aside Rs 8,414 Cr OTSC demand

Bharti Airtel Limited has secured a major legal victory after the Bombay High Court allowed its petition and set aside a demand notice from the Department of Telecommunications regarding one-time spectrum charge (OTSC). The judgment, delivered on June 8, 2026, disposes of a liability of Rs 8,414 Cr, providing substantial financial relief to the telecom operator. This decision specifically nullifies a demand of Rs 473.7 Cr pertaining to its subsidiary, Bharti Hexacom Limited, related to the Rajasthan and North East telecom circles.

The company had filed a petition challenging the demand notice originally dated January 8, 2013. While the initial demand stood at Rs 5,201.2 Cr, it was subsequently revised upwards by the authorities in 2018. The total disputed amount included the specific claim of Rs 473.7 Cr related to Bharti Hexacom Limited's operations. The court's decision effectively removes the financial overhang that had persisted for over a decade.

Details of the Litigation

The legal proceedings centered on the validity of the OTSC demand raised by the Department of Telecommunications. The following table summarises the key details of the case:

Particulars	Details
Initial Demand Date	January 8, 2013
Initial Demand Amount	Rs 5,201.2 Cr
Revised Demand Amount (2018)	Rs 8,414 Cr
Bharti Hexacom's Portion	Rs 473.7 Cr
Court	Hon'ble Bombay High Court
Judgment Date	June 8, 2026

The judgment was uploaded to the Bombay High Court's website on June 8, 2026, at 17:56 Hrs IST. The disclosure was made to the exchanges in compliance with Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.

1 Day	5 Days	1 Month	6 Months	1 Year	5 Years
+0.42%	-2.28%	-2.83%	-13.76%	-4.01%	+233.13%

Bharti Airtel witnessed a notable block trade on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), with the transaction valued at ₹39.61 crores. Approximately 219,124 shares were transacted at a price of ₹1807.70 per share, indicating significant large-scale trading activity in the counter.

Block Trade Details

The following table summarizes the key parameters of the block trade recorded on the NSE:

Parameter:	Details
Exchange:	NSE
Trade Value:	₹39.61 crores
Number of Shares:	~219,124
Trade Price:	₹1807.70 per share

Block trades of this scale are typically executed by institutional investors or large market participants and are carried out outside the regular order book to minimize market impact. The transaction in Bharti Airtel underscores continued interest from large investors in the telecom major's stock.