New Rules for Phone Interception : The government has notified new rules for phone interception and has authorized the Inspector General of Police (IG) and above at the state level to issue interception orders in emergency cases.

What did the government say in the notification related to phone interception?

In a notification published on December 6, the Department of Telecommunications said that if the competent authority does not confirm such an order within seven working days from the date of issue of the order in emergency cases, the intercepted messages will not be allowed to be used for any purpose. Also, the copy of these messages will have to be destroyed within two working days.

"Where the competent authority can't issue an order in remote areas or due to operational reasons, the interception order may be issued by the head of the authorized agency at the central level or by the most senior officer at the second level," the notification said.

Who will be the competent authority in the case of Central and State Governments?

It said that the head of theauthorizedd agency in the state or the second most senior officer, not below the rank of Inspector General of Police, can also issue such orders. According to the notification, the Union Home Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs in the case of the Central Government or the Secretary in charge of the Home Department in the case of the State Government will be the competent authority.

At the central level, the review committee will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary and will have the Law Secretary and the Telecom Secretary as members. At the state level, the review committee will be headed by the Chief Secretary and will have the Home Secretary, State Law Secretary, and State Government Secretaries as members.