The State government has extended the term of the three-member committee to monitor the telephones, mobile phones and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for one year from January 1, 2017 to December 31.
Under Section 5 (2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the government has issued orders authorising three police officers from the Intelligence Wing as ‘designated authorities’ for monitoring and interception of conversations or messages in the interest of public safety in Andhra Pradesh.
Principal Secretary A.R. Anuradha on Friday issued orders extending the term following a request by The Additional Director General (ADG-Intelligence).
The committee members include ADG or Inspector General of Police (IGP-Intelligence), IGP or Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Counter Intelligence Cell and IGP or DIG of the Special Intelligence Branch.
Prior authorisation
The designated authorities shall take prior authorisation of the Principal Secretary (Home Department) for interception of any telephone, mobile phone or the ISP.
Officials informed
A copy of the GO has been sent to the Director General, Department of Telecommunications, General Manager, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Principal Secretary to Government (Political), ADG, IGP and DIG Intelligence, Counter Intelligence and Special Intelligence Branch (SIB).
Under Sub-Section (2) of Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, authorised officers of the State or Central Governments can intercept the messages or phone conversations of any phone or the ISP, if they feel that it is necessary to do so in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of the country and the State and to prevent the commission of an offence.
Telephone tapping issue
It may be noted the telephone tapping issue in cash-for-vote scam that surfaced in Telangana State last year led to a war of words between the Telangana and the Andhra Pradesh Governments culminated in the arrest of a TDP MLA and others.
The Telangana Government had reportedly tapped the mobile phones of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, some Ministers, MLAs and officers, as per the allegations by the AP Government.
