India, July 21 -- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had directed telecom operators to pay a collective penalty of Rs141 crore for failing to effectively curb spam on their networks. However, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) on Thursday stayed the TRAI order until further notice.

According toTDSAT, telecom companies are not required to pay the penalty until the next hearing, scheduled for 8 August. TDSAT has also requested TRAI's legal counsel to submit an affidavit with all relevant details.The penalty affects all major Indian telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

In their defence, the telcos argued that the sanctions...