Call data records row echoes in RS

Raising the telecom department’s order seeking bulk call data records in several cities, including the national capital, many Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday claimed that it has raised “bona fide concerns about India being converted into a surveillance state” and is also a serious breach of privacy of citizens.

Raising the issue in the Upper House during Zero Hour, Congress’s Anand Sharma, whose notice under rule 267 on the issue was earlier rejected by the Chair, said under the new guidelines framed by the previous UPA government, after clearance from the home secretary, officers of the rank of superintendent of police (SP) and above alone were authorised to seek such details from telecom operators. In addition to this, SPs are required to give a mandatory declaration to district magistrates (DMs) about the CDRs obtained every month. But there are no rules to permit any government office to seek call CDR on a regular monthly basis, he said.

He wanted the government to place on record the Home Secretary's order giving permission for seeking CDR and which magistrate were the issue reported to.

Responding to the issue, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said with approval and cooperation of telecom operators, CDR had been sought to deal with call drop issue.

“I want to assure that there is no surveillance, no phone tapping, no call recording,” he said, adding there is no invasion of privacy