Telephone bills dues worth crores of rupees are pending against sitting and former members of parliament (MPs), but their phones cannot be disconnected in the normal process as they enjoy "some immunity", according to the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).

The phone company, in an RTI reply, said the decision to disconnect the phones of MPs can only be taken by the Head of Circle and not by a subordinate officer.

RTI activist Subhash Agrawal had sought detailed information on rules about pending payments of dues against the former and sitting MPs.

In a previous reply, the MTNL had said that more than Rs 7.30 crore was pending as telephone bill dues against 405 former and present MPs.

399 former and six sitting parliamentarians owe Rs 7,30,66,746 to MTNL. The list also included the name of 67 MPs who have died.

The MTNL said it was filing its up-to-date responses in the Delhi high court in response to a public interest litigation filed by NGO Krishak Bharat against Union of India regarding recovery of outstanding dues on MPs.