Update: Following the outcry over the Government's notification directing all central security and investigation agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt "any information on any computer”, the government has now issued a clarification. It said that the order has been issued in accordance with rules framed in 2009, under the IT Act and in “vogue since then.” It said: No new powers have been conferred on any security or law enforcement agencies since then. The notification has been issued to notify the ISPs, TSPs, Intermediaries to codify existing orders. Each case of interception, monitoring, decryption has to be approved by the Union Home secretary. Under the IT Act, these powers are also available with the competent authority in the State governments. As per the Act, all such cases have to be placed before the review committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary. The review committee shall meet once in two months to review such cases. In states, such cases would be reviewed by committee headed by their respective Chief Secretaries. However, it is still unclear why the government is notifying ISPs, TSPs and other intermediaries about this specific section now, if the rules have existed since 2009. The government says that this notification will ensure that interception, monitoring or decryption will be done by law, prevention of unauthorised use of powers by anyone else, and that the interception is lawful *** Earlier today: The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an order directing all central security and investigation agencies to intercept, monitor…
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