Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have moved the telecom tribunal to challenge telecom department’s demand notices for payment of Rs 3,050 crore cumulative penalties in the points of interconnect matter, a source said.

The department of telecommunications (DoT) had recently issued demand notices to both the telcos

to pay cumulative Rs 3,050 crore in penalties in three weeks’ time for violating norms by denying Reliance Jio points of interconnect way back in 2016.

Industry sources said that both Airtel and Vodafone Idea have now moved the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) challenging the DoT’s demand notices and penalty and that the matter could come up for hearing on Tuesday.

E-mails sent to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea Ltd did not elicit a response.

The DoT had slapped a penalty of Rs 2,000 crore on Vodafone Idea and Rs 1,050 crore on Bharti Airtel based on sector regulator Trai’s recommendation five years ago.