The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to respond to a plea seeking steps taken by the government to verify mobile phone subscribers against fake identities to protect national security.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to reply within six weeks on suggestions given by NGO Lokniti Foundation on mobile phone verification.
The NGO had written the letter to the DoT and the TRAI on August 7, 2014, saying that there was a grave risk to the national security because of lack of verification of mobile phone subscribers and had also given suggestions for systemic improvements.
In its petition before the apex court, the NGO sought directions to DoT and TRAI to ensure 100 per cent verification of phone subscribers’ identity, address, etc. Aadhaar or other biometric identification may be made compulsory for such verification, it said.
