Bharti Airtel Limited has received a penalty notice of Rs 6.99 lakh from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for alleged violations of subscriber verification norms. The telecom major disclosed this regulatory action through a filing under Regulation 30 of SEBI Listing Regulations on February 04, 2026.

Penalty Details and Background

The Department of Telecommunications, Andhra Pradesh LSA imposed the penalty following alleged violations of subscriber verification norms during a routine audit. The company received the penalty notice on February 03, 2026 at 1704 hours IST.

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 regulatory authority conducts periodic Customer Application Form (CAF) Audits to confirm compliance with licensing terms and conditions.

The DoT conducted a sample CAF Audit for September 2025 and alleged violations of terms and conditions with respect to subscriber verification norms under the License Agreement. These verification requirements are critical components of telecom licensing obligations designed to ensure proper customer onboarding processes.

Company Response and Financial Impact

Bharti Airtel has decided to accept the penalty without contesting the DoT's findings. The company stated that the maximum financial impact is limited to the extent of the penalty levied, which amounts to Rs 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. Company Secretary and 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 relatively minimal given the company's scale of operations. The company's decision to pay rather than contest suggests an approach focused on maintaining regulatory relationships while addressing compliance gaps.

Bharti Airtel Limited has received a penalty notice of Rs 1,11,000 from the Department of Telecommunications for alleged violation of subscriber verification norms. The company disclosed this information under Regulation 30 of SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.

Penalty Details and Authority

The penalty was imposed by the Department of Telecommunications, Uttar Pradesh (East) LSA (DoT) for alleged violation of subscriber verification norms. The company received the notice on January 30, 2026 at 1354 hours IST.

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 in this regard. The Department of Telecommunications conducts periodic Customer Application Form Audit (CAF Audit) to confirm compliance with licensing terms and conditions.

DoT conducted a sample CAF Audit for November 2025 and alleged violation of terms and conditions with respect to subscriber verification norms under the License Agreement. The audit process is part of DoT's regular monitoring mechanism to ensure telecom operators maintain proper subscriber verification standards.

Company's Response and Financial Impact

Bharti Airtel has decided to pay the penalty without contesting it. The company stated that the maximum financial impact is limited to the extent of the penalty levied, which amounts to Rs 1,11,000.

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. Company Secretary and Compliance Officer Rohit Krishan Puri signed the disclosure document on January 31, 2026, confirming that the information provided is true, correct and complete to the best of the company's knowledge and belief.