Waiver provisions scrapped, new telecom bill may derail Voda Idea recovery: Experts
licence fees, penalties, and charges, etc, in the Telecommunications Bill, 2023 has come as a damper for financially struggling telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi), as it may make it tough for the company to raise funds, lawyers and analysts said.
The waiver provisions in the original draft contemplated a framework that would have allowed financially stressed firms like Vodafone Idea to be revived with fresh investment with any potential investor also factoring in a waiver of significant statutory dues.
«The proposed powers to waive off or defer payment of fees, penalty and other charges have been removed from the final bill. This would have a negative revenue implication and has likely been removed due to that reason,» Manmeet Kaur, Partner, Karanjawala & Co told ET.
