Centre's notice to Google Inc

For incorrect depiction of J&K on website map

The Centre has served notice on global Internet major Google Inc for wrongly depicting the Indian map on its website and asked to immediately rectify it. It has also warned other websites to show India's international boundaries correctly or face legal action.

In its notice to Google Inc (United States of America) USA, the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), under the Department of IT, said that the map on its website (www.google.com/insights) showed certain parts of Jammu and Kashmir as a part of another country. As per Indian law, wrongful depiction of map, including the boundaries, is an offence and gives rise to issues concerning the defence, sovereignty and integrity of the country.

Directing Google Inc to correct the error, CERT-in has said that it was liable for action under of the IT Act 2000.

Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot told

The Hindu that he has asked CERT-in to carry out a detailed survey of Internet to find out if other websites were providing such inaccurate information about the country's international borders. “Sufficient legal provisions exist to tackle such issues and are being enforced effectively; we will not hesitate to take strict action against all such companies,” he warned.

Mr. Pilot said, “As use of Internet is increasing everyday and students are using Internet tools in their studies, it is of utmost importance that we take such issues seriously. Apart from the wrongful depiction of J&K, such errors also occur in maps of the north-eastern States,” he said.