The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on March 08, 2024, notified regarding the Timelines for digitization of Paper CAFs (including associated documents) by the Licensees.
The following has been stated:
• It has been decided that the timelines for completion of the digitization of Paper CAFs (including associated documents) is being extended till June 30, 2024. No further extension of timelines shall be entertained after this date.
• The Licensees shall submit only digitized copies of Paper CAFs (including associated documents) in respective LSAs as part of the regular CAF audit w.e.f. July 01, 2024. Thereafter, if a licensee submits Paper CAFs or scanned copies of CAFs (not properly digitized as per instructions dated October 11, 2021), then it shall be treated as a procedural lapse in that respective audit cycle and a penalty of Rs. 1 lakh per incidence shall be imposed on the licensee irrespective of number of non-digitized CAFs submitted in that audit cycle.
• It is also clarified that if a licensee submits a digitized copy of paper CAF(s) in any regular CAF audit but the date of digital signature on that sample digitized CAF(s) is beyond the due date i.e., June 30, 2024, then no penalty shall be imposed in those cases and it shall be considered as compliant cases.
[Notification No 800-21/2015-AS.II-Part (3)]
