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.

Bharti Airtel Limited has received a penalty notice of ₹6.99 lakh from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for alleged violations of subscriber verification norms. The telecom operator disclosed this regulatory action through a filing under Regulation 30 of SEBI Listing Regulations on December 30, 2025.

Penalty Details and Background

The penalty notice was issued by the Department of Telecommunications, Andhra Pradesh LSA, and received by the company on December 29, 2025. The action stems from DoT's periodic Customer Application Form (CAF) audit conducted for August 2025, which revealed alleged non-compliance with subscriber verification requirements.

Regulatory 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 CAF audits to confirm compliance with licensing terms and conditions related to subscriber verification norms.

The sample CAF audit for August 2025 allegedly found violations of terms and conditions with respect to subscriber verification norms under the License Agreement. However, the specific details of the violations were not elaborated in the disclosure.

Company's Response and Financial Impact

Bharti Airtel has decided not to contest the penalty and will proceed with payment of the imposed amount. The company has stated that the maximum financial impact is limited to the extent of the penalty levied, which amounts to ₹6.99 lakh.

Regulatory Disclosure

The disclosure was made pursuant to Regulation 30 read with Clause 20 of Para A of Part A of Schedule III of SEBI Listing Regulations. Joint Company Secretary & Compliance Officer Rohit Krishan Puri signed the regulatory filing, confirming that the information provided is true, correct, and complete to the best of the company's knowledge and belief.

This penalty represents a routine regulatory matter for the telecom operator, with the financial impact being minimal given the company's scale of operations. The company's decision to accept and pay the penalty indicates its approach to resolve regulatory matters expeditiously.