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Centre can take over any telecom network for public safety, states new bill introduced in Lok Sabha

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 18 Dec 2023, 07:01 pm

New Delhi: A new bill over telecommunication, which was introduced in Parliament's lower house Lok Sabha, states the central government can take possession of any network for public safety or during public emergency, media reports said.

The Telecommunications Bill 2023 was introduced in Lok Sabha by Communications Minister of India, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Monday.

The draft law states as quoted by NDTV, "On the occurrence of any public emergency, including disaster management, or in the interest of public safety, the Central Government or a State Government or any officer specially authorised in this behalf by the Central Government or a State Government, if satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, by notification- (a) take temporary possession of any telecommunication service or telecommunication network from an authorised entity..."

The bill further states the press messages intended for publication in India will not be "intercepted or detained".

"The press messages, intended to be published in India, of correspondents accredited to the Central Government or a State Government shall not be intercepted or detained, unless their transmission has been prohibited under clause (a) of sub-section (2)," it says.

The bill also provides provision where the government can suspend telecom networks.