Bharti Airtel Limited has disclosed the receipt of two separate penalty notices from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) concerning violations of subscriber verification norms identified during sample Customer Application Form (CAF) Audits. The penalties total ₹2,53,000 across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh (East) circles for audits conducted in late 2025. The company has decided to pay the levied amounts without contestation.
Summary of Regulatory Notices Received
Bharti Airtel Limited has formally disclosed details regarding two distinct notices imposing financial penalties from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) covering two different operational circles. These actions stem from compliance audits related to subscriber verification processes, which are mandated under the License Agreement.
Penalty Imposed in Madhya Pradesh (MP) Circle
Under Annexure A, the Madhya Pradesh LSA (DoT) issued a notice on February 27, 2026, imposing a penalty of Rs. 1,44,000. This penalty relates to an alleged violation of subscriber verification norms identified during the sample Customer Application Form (CAF) Audit conducted for December, 2025.
The company confirms that the maximum financial impact is limited to the penalty amount levied. Bharti Airtel has opted to pay and not contest this communication.
Penalty Imposed in Uttar Pradesh (East) Circle
Under Annexure B, the Uttar Pradesh (East) LSA (DoT) issued a similar notice on February 27, 2026, at 1752 Hrs IST. This notice imposes a penalty of Rs. 1,09,000 for alleged violations of subscriber verification norms.
This specific penalty arises from the sample CAF Audit conducted for November, 2025. As with the MP circle penalty, the financial implication is restricted to the penalty itself, and the company has chosen to pay the fine without challenging the order.
Compliance Rationale
In both instances, the violation centers on the Company’s requirement to ensure adequate verification of customers before enrolling them as subscribers, as per instructions issued by DoT. The Company acknowledges the receipt of these communications and affirms that the information provided in the annexures is true, correct, and complete to the best of its knowledge.
Source: BSE
