Centre Empowers J&K L-G to Control Telecom Services in Emergencies

These powers include control over services such as interception of signals, suspension of service and decryption of messages, related to telecom services in the UT during public safety events or national emergencies.

A notification to this effect was issued by the Union Government on Thursday.

According to the order, the President directed the L-G to exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the state government under Sub-Section 20 (2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023), which deals with situations involving public safety and national security, within the Union territory.

"In pursuance of clause (1) of article 239 of the Constitution, the President hereby directs that the administrator (whether known as the lieutenant governor) of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall, subject to the control of the President and until further orders, exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the state government under Sub-Section (2) of Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023), within the said Union territory," the notification published in gazette on Thursday said.

Using the powers, the L-G can block the transmission, allow interception, order decryption of messages, and suspend telecom services in the event of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety.

During counterinsurgency operations in different places of the union territory, authorities have frequently resorted to suspension of telecom services in the areas under the anti-terrorist operation.

These services are suspended to prevent hiding or surrounded terrorists from communicating with associates outside the operation area to seek help or know the exact movements of the surrounding security forces.

Control over telecom services also comes in handy for intelligence agencies and security forces to intercept terrorist communication and pinpoint their exact location.

- IANS