Bharti Airtel Limited has received a penalty notice of ₹1.25 lakh from the Department of Telecommunications for alleged violations of subscriber verification norms. The telecom major disclosed this development to stock exchanges under Regulation 30 of SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.

Penalty Details and Regulatory Action

The Department of Telecommunications, Uttar Pradesh (East) LSA imposed the penalty following a Customer Application Form (CAF) audit conducted for July 2025. The regulatory authority alleged that Bharti Airtel violated subscriber verification norms under the License Agreement terms and conditions.

Regulatory Compliance Framework

Under the License Agreement, telecom operators are required to ensure adequate verification of customers before enrolling them as subscribers. The Department of Telecommunications conducts periodic Customer Application Form audits to confirm compliance with licensing terms and conditions. These audits serve as a regulatory mechanism to ensure that telecom companies maintain proper subscriber verification protocols.

Company's Response and Financial Impact

Bharti Airtel has decided not to contest the penalty and will proceed with payment. The company stated that the maximum financial impact is limited to the extent of the penalty levied, which amounts to ₹1.25 lakh.

Disclosure Timeline and Technical Issues

The regulatory filing experienced a delay due to technical errors on the NEAPS Portal and BSE Listing Centre. Bharti Airtel informed the respective stock exchanges about these technical difficulties within prescribed timelines. The disclosure was subsequently filed once the technical issues were resolved.

Regulatory Context

Customer Application Form audits are routine regulatory exercises conducted by the Department of Telecommunications to ensure telecom operators comply with subscriber verification requirements. These verification norms are essential components of the licensing framework governing telecom services in India, designed to maintain service quality and regulatory compliance across the industry.

Bharti Airtel Limited has disclosed receiving two penalty notices from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) totaling ₹3.62 lakh for alleged violations of subscriber verification norms. The telecommunications major received both notices on December 30, 2025, as part of regulatory compliance disclosure under SEBI Listing Regulations.

Penalty Details and Breakdown

The company received separate notices from two Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) with varying penalty amounts and company responses:

Regulatory Background and Compliance Requirements

Under the terms of its license agreement, Bharti Airtel is required to ensure adequate verification of customers before enrolling them as subscribers and comply with instructions issued by DoT. The Department of Telecommunications conducts periodic Customer Application Form (CAF) audits to confirm compliance with licensing terms and conditions related to subscriber verification norms.

The DoT conducted sample CAF audits for September 2025 in Bihar LSA and October 2025 in Madhya Pradesh LSA, during which it alleged violations of terms and conditions with respect to subscriber verification norms under the License Agreement.

Financial Impact and Company Response

The maximum financial impact on Bharti Airtel is limited to the extent of the penalties levied, totaling ₹3.62 lakh across both notices. The company has adopted different approaches for each penalty notice based on its assessment of the allegations.

For the Bihar LSA penalty of ₹2.46 lakh, Bharti Airtel stated that it does not agree with the notice and will take appropriate actions for rectification or reversal of the same. However, for the Madhya Pradesh LSA penalty of ₹1.16 lakh, the company has opted not to contest and will pay the penalty.

Regulatory Disclosure Compliance

The disclosure was made pursuant to Regulation 30 of SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015. Rohit Krishan Puri, Joint Company Secretary & Compliance Officer, signed the regulatory filing on December 31, 2025, confirming that the information provided is true, correct and complete to the best of the company's knowledge and belief.

These penalty notices represent routine regulatory oversight in the telecommunications sector, where operators must maintain strict compliance with subscriber verification protocols to prevent unauthorized connections and ensure customer data integrity.