HC seeks Centre, FB response on voice calls
DELHI HC SOUGHT DIRECTIONS FROM THE GOVT TO MAKE THE LICENSE REGULATIONS APPLICABLE ON
THE TWO PLATFORMS
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday sought the response of Centre, Facebook messenger and Whatsapp on the plea by an internet service provider (ISP) contending that the two social media platforms were providing voice calling facilities without all any license fee.
Justice Navin Chawla issued notice to the Department of Telecommunications, finance ministry, Facebook and Whatsapp seeking to know as to why the two messaging platforms should not be subject to license fee and security considerations like other ISPS internet service providers for providing the voice over internet services permitted under a telecom license.
The court’s order comes while hearing the plea by World Phone Internet Services Pvt Ltd, an internet service provider (ISP), filed through advocate Bipul Kedia which has alleged that the unregulated functioning of the two platforms was “a threat to national security” and also causes a loss to the exchequer.
“The illegal functioning of Facebook messenger and Whatsapp should not be permitted. Facebook and Whatsapp are providing internet telephony without a license,” the petition read.
While Whatsapp said that they do not have a comment to share at this point, Facebook could not be reached for a despite repeated calls and texts.
According to advocate Sanjoy Ghose, counsel for the petitioner, the licensed telecom service providers (TSPS) and ISPS providing internet telephony are subject to many licensing regulations and security measures which are to be strictly followed.
He said that there is a penalty of ₹50 crore per breach if there is any security lapse that occurs due to any “inadvertent inadequacy” in precautions taken by it or due to deliberate fault on the part of the licensee.
Apart from that criminal proceedings may also be initiated, the plea said.
“…….Facebook messenger and Whatsapp, which provide voice services without holding a telecom license in India, circumvent the Indian telecom licensing provisions and provide services that are otherwise permitted only under a telecom license,” the petition detailed.
It has sought directions to the government from make the license regulations applicable on the two platforms and ensure they comply with it.
This brings the NDA tally anywhere between 216 and 230. It gave the Congress 20-24 seats and the NCP 30-35 seats.
Haryana has 90 assembly seats. In 2014, the BJP won 47 seats, enabling it to form the government for the first time on its own. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) of Om Prakash Chautala, which has since split with the emergence of a splinter, Jannayak Janata Party, won 31 seats. The Congress was a distant third with 15 seats.
For the state, the most optimistic poll for the ruling party, once again from News 18-IPSOS, predicted it would win 75 seats, fulfilling its stated election target. The Congress, the same poll said, would win 10 seats. The most conservative projection came from the Republic-jan Ki Baat poll, which suggested that the BJP would bag between 52 and 63 seats and the Congress 15-19 seats. It gave the third position to the new party, JJP.
The ABP-C Voter poll gave the BJP 70 seats, the Congress eight seats, and others 12 seats in the state, while the Times Now poll gave 71 seats to the BJP, 11 to the Congress and eight to others in the state. India Today-axis said they would release the Haryana projections on Tuesday.
Responding to a question on what the results would indicate, BJP’S national spokesperson Nalin Kohli said, “It confirms that the charismatic and credible leadership of PM Modi and the positive agenda of change being pursued by his government continues to soundly resonate with voters across the country.”
“There were two incidents of firing in Nuh district and seven persons were injured,” he said. Minor clashes were reported from Rohtak, Nuh and Narnaul. Thirty-four cases were registered in the 2014 assembly elections.
Former Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala of the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), Dadri BJP candidate and Olympian wrestler Babita Phogat, Baroda BJP candidate and Olympian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, Sonepat BJP candidate Kavita Jain, state Congress chief
Kumari Selja, Kaithal Congress candidate Randeep Surjewala, state BJP chief, Subhash Barala, Adampur BJP candidate Sonali Phogat, Panchkula BJP candidate Gian Chand Gupta, Tohana JJP candidate Devender Babli and Hisar BJP candidate Kamal Gupta were among the early voters.
Chief minister ML Khattar boarded a Jan Shatabdi from Chandigarh to Karnal and later cycled to the polling booth.
As in the Lok Sabha elections, cooperation minister and BJP candidate Manish Grover was at the centre of a controversy. The Rohtak police registered an FIR against his aide Papan Gulia, a councillor, and his brother Babal for booth capturing.
In Mewat adjoining Gurgaon, a woman was injured in a group clash outside a polling booth at Malaaka village in Nuh district.
Tension prevailed at Dumer Khan village in Jind under Uchana Kalan segment after JJP candidate Dushyant Chautala alleged an attack and bogus voting. Dushyant is locked in a tough contest with BJP candidate Prem Lata, the wife of former Union minister Birender Singh.
Punjab cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said the state government will abide by the Takht directions.
“We will obey the order of the Takht. No political discourse will be held on the stage being set by the Punjab government. Only teachings of Guru Nanak will be disseminated from it”, he said.
Randhawa made it clear that the stage being set up by Punjab government is not of any political party. These are people who formed the state government giving their mandate, he said.
5-MEMBER PANEL ON ROW OVER DHADRIANWALE
On complaints received against controversial Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, the Takht formed a five-member committee to deeply examine all objectionable statements made by him during the congregations so far.
“If the panel finds his statements to be anti-sikh, he committee will question him (Dhadrianwale) and send report accordingly”, said the Takht.