A final decision on this demand will only be taken on Monday after the minister of communication Jagmohan meets the prime minister in order to apprise him about the situation.

However, top government sources feel that even if the date of payment is extended, there will not be any waiver of licence fee.

The minister is expected to express his views on the question of granting an extension, as desired by the prime minister, on the grounds that such as action would be unjustified and discriminatory towards the 16 operators who have already paid up close to Rs 70 crore towards their outstanding liabilities.

Sources said that inspite of the prime minister's intervention, Jagmohan is unlikely to yield to operators' demands as he feels that this would go against attorneygeneral Soli Sorabjee's advise.

The meeting between the prime minister and Jagmohan is expected to occur on Monday morning. DoT will then announce its stand on the request for extension.

The minister is expected to apprise Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the implications arising out of such an extension.

Companies which have paid up have already expressed reservations over the PMO move, saying that, "such an extension would be totally discriminately at such an stage with a handful of operators left to pay up".

Earlier, the minister had questioned the very basis of the private telecom operators' demand for a moratorium on payment of 20 per cent outstanding licence fee. Criticising operators for non-payment of licence fees on grounds of poor financial health, the minister had reiterated that the real issue was of non-payment of licence fee and the consequent violation of contractual obligation. The minister was also critical of the unionised approach adopted by operators.

The minister's remarkshave touched off a wider debate in industry and government over issues like licence fee payments, sanctity of licence agreements and the overall impact of the demand on telecom investment in the country.

The issue came to a head when individual operators in basic and cellular services too had struck out on their own in an effort to arrive at an understanding with the ministry. Leading industrialists had expressed reservations over the tough stand of the minister, describing it as a narrow and rigid approach towards problems.