In December last year, with most Opposition MPs suspended in Parliament, Lok Sabha passed
the Telecommunications Bill, 2023, replacing these three archaic laws - Telegraph Act of 1885,
the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933 and The Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession)
Act, 1950 and brings all telecom regulations under one Act.
The Telecom Bill, 2023 deteriorates user rights in several other ways, many of which directly
infringe on the user’s fundamental right to privacy. Clause 3(7) is one such privacy invading
provision which imposes an obligation on any authorised entity, as notified by the Union govt, to
identify the person to whom it provides telecom services, through use of any verifiable biometric
based identification “as may be prescribed”. The Telegraph Act, 1885 also contained a similar
provision for licensed entities, but with safeguards and specificity. Section 4(3)(a) listed the
various modes of authentication that may be used by the licensee, including offline
authentication, and also explicitly mentioned alternatives authentication modes to Aadhaar such
as passport. This inclusion of “verifiable biometric based identification” raises fears that it may
provide a legislative basis for the mandatory linking of Aadhaar to mobile phones which was
ruled as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of India.
Written & Narrated by : @madiiihahaha
@mygovindia @MIB_India
@EduMinOfIndia @DoT_India
@CBCCHENNAI_MIB
@AshwiniVaishnaw
@TelecomTalk @PIB_India
@BJP4India
#telecombill #India #Government #Act #BJP