With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the government could use the new surveillance order to curb dissent and control the political narrative
The last time intelligence and law enforcement agencies wanted to intercept calls and internet data of a suspect for purposes of national security, they obtained permission from Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba. Armed with the government order, the agencies asked telecom and internet service providers to release relevant data. But, what they got were sets of long, jumbled characters, which they could not decrypt.
Most of the networks use Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), which is an advanced version of IPv4, and the intelligence machinery does not have the ability to decrypt it. Intelligence agencies have not been able to compel telecom and internet service providers and online networks like Google, Twitter and WhatsApp to provide decrypted data. The December 20 order of the Union home ministry has, however, made it mandatory for all such service providers and intermediaries to give decrypted information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource to ten government agencies authorised by the government for lawful interception.
These agencies are the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, Narcotics Control Bureau, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, National Investigation Agency, Directorate of Signal Intelligence (for service areas of Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast) and the Delhi Police commissioner. In the states, similar powers are available to state law enforcement agencies after approval by the competent authority, which is the state home secretary.
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