Regulators
Bharti Airtel faces Rs 6.67 lakh DoT fine and Rs 37.12 lakh TRAI disincentive
Telco flags regulatory actions over verification norms and complaint redressal compliance
GURUGRAM: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has disclosed two separate regulatory actions from Indian authorities, including a penalty from the Department of Telecommunications and a financial disincentive order from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), according to filings made under SEBI disclosure norms.
In the first instance, the company said it had received a notice from the Department of Telecommunications’ Andhra Pradesh Licensed Service Area, imposing a penalty of Rs 6,67,000 for alleged violations of subscriber verification norms.
The notice relates to a Customer Application Form audit conducted for March 2026, during which the authority alleged non-compliance with licence conditions requiring proper verification of subscribers before activation. The company has stated that the maximum financial impact is limited to the penalty amount and has opted to pay the fine without contesting it.
In a separate disclosure, Bharti Airtel also reported an order from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India imposing a financial disincentive of Rs 37,12,000.
The order relates to alleged non-compliance with regulations governing the redressal of customer complaints under the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018, for the quarter ended September 2024.
While the company has disagreed with the order, it said it will pursue appropriate actions seeking rectification or reversal of the decision.
Both disclosures were made under Regulation 30 of SEBI Listing Regulations, with the company stating that the information provided is accurate and complete to the best of its knowledge.
The twin regulatory updates highlight ongoing compliance scrutiny in India’s telecom sector, where operators are regularly assessed on subscriber verification standards and consumer grievance handling mechanisms.
As regulatory oversight tightens, telecom companies continue to navigate a complex compliance environment balancing operational scale with evolving regulatory expectations
