In Brief
This case involved multiple civil appeals challenging the Government of India's demand for unpaid revenue from telecom service providers under their licence agreements. The Supreme Court upheld the definition of gross revenue in the licence terms and held that service providers are bound by their contractual obligations. The Court rejected arguments that the penalty and interest provisions were unconscionable, finding them reasonable in the circumstances. It dismissed the licensees' appeals while allowing the Department of Telecommunications' appeals, emphasizing that parties cannot adopt inconsistent positions across successive proceedings or challenge previously accepted agreement terms. The Court also expressed concern about decades-long litigation over the same issues.
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