Lok Sabha passes Telecommunications Bill, 2023

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Telecommunications Bill, 2023 to replace the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act of 1950..The bill aims to amend and consolidate the law relating to development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks, assignment of spectrum and connected matters..According to a Lok Sabha bulletin issued on Sunday, the President of India recommended the introduction of the Bill under Article 117(1) of the Constitution and also recommended its consideration under Article 117(3) as a Finance Bill..Accordingly, the Bill was introduced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on December 18. The votes to introduce the bill were cast minutes after the Minister sought permission for the same..The proposed Bill aims to overhaul the existing licensing regime for telecom networks, transitioning from the current system to an authorization framework. Under the present arrangement, the telecom department issues over 100 types of licenses, registrations and permissions. The Bill aims to streamline this process by consolidating many of these into a single authorization mechanism.Moreover, the Bill empowers the government to reclaim spectrum that remains unused. It also introduces provisions for sharing, trading, and leasing of spectrum. Entities will now have the option to surrender unused spectrum although they won't receive compensation from the government for the same.One provision mandates entities to conduct biometric authentication of their users to combat fraud. However, this particular measure has sparked concerns regarding user privacy.Further, the Bill retains provisions from the Telegraph Act related to interception or surveillance of telecommunications. It grants the Union government the authority to assume control of a telecom network in the event of a public emergency or safety concerns..[Read Bill as introduced in Lok Sabha]