KOLKATA:The Indian ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) and  direct to home television provider Dish TV have been at loggerheads over this matter for sometime now. And the latter has informed the Bombay stock exchange (BSE)  that the former has brought up its demand to pay up long disputed licence fees totalling Rs 4,164.5 crore once again.  The amount includes interest and the demand from the MIB is that Dish TV pay it up within 15 days.

The Jawahar Goel headed firm says that the MIB has clarified that the amount  is further subject to verification and audit and the outcome of various court cases pending before the TDSAT, the high court of Jammu and Kashmir and the supreme court.

“In this regard, we would like to inform that the ministry of information and broadcasting had issued a demand notice in the year 2014 for the licence fee pertaining from the date of issuance of DTH License till financial year 12 – 13. The said demand notice was challenged by the company before the TDSAT and the said demand has been stayed by the TDSAT, which stay continues to be in force,” Dish TV said in the regulatory  filing with the BSE. .

Further, the company's petition is also pending before the  Jammu and Kashmir high court where it has challenged  inter alia the quantum / applicability of licence fee and imposition of interest. Similar writs are also pending before the apex court.

Dish TV informed that it is studying the communication to determine its next steps. The DTH licence  fee matter has already been through several rounds of litigation, the final outcomes of which are yet to be argued and concluded, it added. It would update the stock exchanges on any material developments.

The notice has come at a time when the government has opened up 100 per cent foreign direct investment in DTH, extended the duration of licences given to operators.