Government issues new rules for interception of messages, limits agency surveillance to six months

NEW DELHI: The government has issued rules for the interception of mobile messages, designating the Union Home Secretary at the central level and Chief Secretaries at the state level as the authorised officials to pass interception orders.

According to the officials, the interception of specific messages or categories of messages can be carried out for a defined period, not exceeding six months. They said that the government had placed the rules in the public domain for objections and suggestions on August 28.