(a) whether the Government has decided to issue new guidelines and rules to prevent
illegal interception of telephone messages; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
(a) whether the Government has decided to issue new guidelines and rules to prevent
illegal interception of telephone messages; and
(b) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)
(a) & (b) Government has issued Instructions for ensuring privacy of
communications on 07.02.2006 and 13.02.2006, which inter alia include the following:
For Telephone companies:
# To issue acknowledgment letters to Security Agencies within two hours of the
receipt of communication.
# To put in place of adequate and effective internal checks within their organizations.
# To have designated officers to receive the communication.
# such communication to be handled by senior level officers.
For Security Agencies:
# Only designated officers to convey the instructions for interception.
# Designated officers of the Security Agencies to deliver the letters to Service
Providers.
# In emergent cases of carrying out interception, post confirmation from the
Competent Authority is to be provided within seven days of the issue of the orders
of interception.
The rule 419A of the Indian Telegraph Rules 1951 has been modified accordingly.