APPELLATE TRIBUNALCentral

Section 20 of The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997

1[20. Penalty for wilful failure to comply with orders of Appellate Tribunal.-- If any person wilfully fails to comply with the order of the Appellate Tribunal, he shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees and in case of a second or subsequent offence with fine which may extend to two lakh rupees and in the case of continuing contravention with additional fine which may extend to two lakh rupees for every day during which such default continues.]

Summary

Any person who wilfully fails to comply with an order of the Appellate Tribunal is subject to financial penalties.
For a first offence, the fine may extend up to one lakh rupees.
For a second or subsequent offence, the fine may extend up to two lakh rupees.
For a continuing contravention, an additional fine may extend up to two lakh rupees for every day during which the default continues.

Practical examples

1On July 1, 2025, the Tribunal ordered Falcon Telecom to share certain infrastructure. The company wilfully ignored the order, and on August 15, 2025, the court fined them ninety thousand rupees as a first-time penalty.

2When Falcon Telecom still refused to comply after their first conviction, they were charged with a second offence on October 10, 2025, and faced a fine of one lakh eighty thousand rupees plus an additional daily fine for every day of continued delay.

FAQ

1. What is the penalty for refusing to obey an order of the Appellate Tribunal under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997?

Under Section 20 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, any person who wilfully fails to comply with a Tribunal order can be fined up to one lakh rupees.

2. What are the fines for repeat offences under Section 20 of the TRAI Act?

Section 20 of the TRAI Act states that for a second or subsequent offence, the fine can go up to two lakh rupees.

3. How is a continuous violation of a Tribunal order punished under the 1997 Indian telecom act?

Under Section 20 of the 1997 Indian telecom act, if the violation continues, an additional fine of up to two lakh rupees can be charged for every single day the default continues.

Test yourself

Q1.Under Section 20 of The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, what mental state is required for a failure to comply with a Tribunal order to be punishable?

Q2.Under Section 20 of The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, what is the maximum fine that can be imposed for a first offence of non-compliance?

Q3.For a second or subsequent offence under Section 20 of The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, the fine may extend to what amount?

Q4.Under Section 20 of The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, what is the maximum additional daily fine for a continuing contravention?

19PreviousSection 19 Orders passed by Appellate Tribunal to be executable as a decree 21NextSection 21 Grants by Central Government.

←Section 19 Section 21→