VODAFONE IDEA LIMITED vs UNION OF INDIA AND 2 ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

WP1461&2029_13.doc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.1461 OF 2013 Bharti Airtel Limited and another … Petitioners Vs. Union of India … Respondent WITH WRIT PETITION NO.2029 OF 2013 Vodafone Idea Limited … Petitioner Vs. Union of India and others … Respondents --- Mr. Harish Salve, Senior Advocate with Mr. Darius Khambata, Senior Advocate a/w. Mr. Fereshte Sethna a/w. Ms. Anuradha Dutt, Ms. Suman Yadav, Ms. Nikhita Suri, Mr. Prakalathan Bathey, Mr. Mohit Tiwari, Ms. Naira Jejeebhoy, Ms. Payal Nayak, Mr. Gurudas Khurana, Ms. A. Das and Ms. Sushmita Singh Chauhan i/b. DMD Advocates for Petitioners in WP/1461/2013. Mr. Aspi Chinoy, Senior Advocate a/w. Ms. Sneha Jaisingh, Ms.Jaidhara Shah and Mr. Manan Parekh i/b. M/s. Bharucha & Partners for Petitioner in WP/2029/2013. Mr. Anil Singh, Additional Solicitor General a/w. Mr. Aditya Thakkar, Mr. Gauraj Shah, Mr. D. P. Singh, Mr. Adarsh Vyas, Ms. Yugandhara Khanwilkar, Ms.Simantini Mohite, Ms. Siddha Pamecha, Mr. Krishnakant Deshmukh, Ms.Rama Gupta, Mr. Chaitanya Chavan i/b. Mr. PSM Tripathi for Respondent - UOI in both the Petitions. CORAM : MANISH PITALE & SHREERAM V. SHIRSAT, JJ. Reserved on : APRIL 09, 2026 Pronounced on: JUNE 08, 2026 JUDGEMENT : (Per Justice Manish Pitale) . The petitioners are cellular mobile service operators, aggrieved by imposition of one-time spectrum charge in the year 2012 for spectrum held above 6.2 MHz from the year 2008 onwards. The petitioners claim that the respondent Union of India has no power to impose such one- Digitally signed by PRIYA Date: PRIYA KAMBLI KAMBLI 2026.06.08 1/68 17:48:15 +0530 WP1461&2029_13.doc time spectrum charge and that too retrospectively. The petitioners emphasize that neither is such source of power found