Only authorised law enforcement agencies can tap telephones: Govt
New Delhi(PTI): The government on Tuesday said only authorised law enforcement agencies in the country are empowered to tap telephones or intercept and monitor any electronically transmitted information.
Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said this in response to a question on whether national or international agencies are authorised to monitor and decrypt any digital information, including Whatsapp conversations.
"Only authorised law enforcement agencies in the country, are empowered to intercept, monitor or decrypt or cause to be intercepted or monitored or decrypted, any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource as per legal provisions of section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000," he said replying to a written question.
The minister said safeguards and review mechanism for telephone tapping have also been prescribed in the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009, and the Standard Operating Procedure issued for the purpose.
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Hijab decision taken out of fear of Karnataka Muslim convention, alleges Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy has alleged that the Karnataka government announced its decision on the hijab issue out of fear of the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on May 16 organized by Federation of Karnataka Muslim Organisations.
Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) state office, GP Bhavan, in Bengaluru on Thursday, Kumaraswamy said he respects all religions and has expressed his views on the issue on several public platforms in the past.
Questioning the timing of the government’s move, he said the Congress has been in power for three years and had taken no decision on the hijab issue during that period.
He alleged that the decision was taken only because the ‘Karnataka Muslim Convention’ is scheduled to be held at Town Hall in Bengaluru on May 16.
“If the government had the courage, it should have taken this decision immediately after coming to power. Why did it remain silent for three years?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy accused the Congress of making the announcement to appease a particular community.
He further said the matter is still pending before the courts and claimed that an interim order relating to the hijab issue remains in force.
According to him, issuing such an order before the legal proceedings are concluded amounts to disrespect towards the judiciary.
Kumaraswamy also alleged that the Congress brought the issue back into focus after the Davanagere by-election results.
