Bharti Airtel Receives ₹1,74,000 Penalty Notice From DoT For Subscriber Verification Lapses

New Delhi: Bharti Airtel has disclosed a regulatory development involving a minor financial penalty tied to compliance checks on customer onboarding processes.

The Department of Telecommunications, Madhya Pradesh Licensed Service Area, has issued a notice imposing a penalty of Rs 1,74,000 on the company. The action relates to alleged non-compliance with subscriber verification requirements under telecom licensing conditions, as detailed in Annexure A on page 2.

The issue stems from a Customer Application Form audit conducted by the DoT for January 2026. These audits are carried out periodically to ensure telecom operators adhere to rules governing customer identity verification before activating services.

Under the license agreement, telecom operators are required to maintain strict verification processes when enrolling subscribers. The audit identified alleged gaps in meeting these standards, prompting regulatory action from the authority.

Bharti Airtel has decided not to contest the notice and will pay the penalty. The company clarified that the financial impact is limited to the amount levied, with no broader operational implications highlighted in the filing. The disclosure reflects routine regulatory oversight in the telecom sector, where periodic audits ensure adherence to compliance norms.

Disclaimer: This article is based solely on the contents of the referenced corporate filing and does not include any external reporting, analysis, or independent verification.