BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LTD. vs BPL MOBILE CELLULAR LTD. .

The Supreme Court addressed the applicability of internal circulars issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) regarding payment of charges for leased circuits. It was held that the rent and guarantee charges for leased circuits must be based on capital cost as per the guidelines provided in the DOT's circulars, specifically Clause 7.0 of the 'commercial information on leased circuits'. The Court affirmed the decisions of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) regarding the interpretation of these charges, emphasizing the contractual obligations established in the agreements between the parties.