TATA TELESERVICES LTD. vs BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LTD. .

The Supreme Court ruled on the liability of the appellant to pay Access Deficit Charges (ADC) to BSNL for the period from 14.11.2004 to 26.8.2005, clarifying that ADC is a regulatory levy imposed by TRAI under Section 36 of the TRAI Act, 1997. The Court held that the ADC regime, introduced in 2004, is applicable to service providers and is essential for supporting rural telephony, thereby affirming the regulatory framework established by the TRAI. The appeals were dismissed, confirming the appellant's obligation to pay ADC.