Insta
No ‘Blanket Powers’ To 10 Agencies To Intercept Data, Every Action Requires Prior Approval, Clarifies MHA
Swarajya Staff
Dec 31, 2018, 10:05 AM | Updated 10:05 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
The Union government has asserted that no “blanket power” has been given to any agency to intercept information from any computer and they have to adhere to the existing rules strictly, reports The New Indian Express.
The New Indian Express quoted a senior Home Ministry official saying that "there is no new law, no new rules, no new procedure, no blanket powers, no blanket authorisation been given to any agency of the government."
A notification from the Home Ministry on 20 December listing the ten agencies had created a controversy with the opposition alleging that the government was trying to create a surveillance state.
The government had earlier clarified that rules for intercepting and monitoring data were framed in 2009 during the Congress-led UPA era and its new order only notified the designated agencies which can carry out such action.
The official, however, reportedly said that the number of interceptions had gone down since 2014 despite the number of mobile phone connections going up to reach 120 crore.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.