New Delhi: In a move to replace the 138-year-old Indian Telegraph Act that governs the telecom sector, the Union government introduced the Telecommunications Bill 2023 on Monday. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tabled the bill in the Lok Sabha after it had received the Cabinet’s nod in August.
What it means
- The proposed legislation will allow the Union government to take over control, manage or suspend any telecommunication services, networks, or their components linked to such services, citing national security.
- The government will have the authority to instruct that certain messages, sent or received by specific individuals, through particular telecommunication equipment, or related to specific subjects should not be transmitted to “protect India’s sovereignty, integrity, and national security.”
- Such messages may be intercepted, detained, or disclosed in an “intelligible format” to the designated officer, as directed by the government’s order.
In the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence and security of the State, Centre can “direct that any message or class of messages, to or from any person or class of persons, to or from any telecommunication equipment or class of telecommunication equipment, or… https://t.co/ot5tPB4X3x
— Arvind Gunasekar (@arvindgunasekar) December 18, 2023
The new bill proposes the government be vested with the power to waive off entry fees, licence fees, penalties etc. in the interest of consumers, ensuring competition in the market, availability or continuity of telecom networks, and national security.