New system to ‘tap’ phone, Net; centralised monitoring gadget soon to end illegal tapping

New Delhi: By the end of this year, the Narendra Modi government is likely to have direct access to all phone and Internet use of suspected individuals through a central monitoring unit.

The proposed Centralised Monitoring System (CMS) aims to end illegal phone tapping and allow nine state agencies “direct and streamlined” access to call intercepts. Any request for phone taps by any investigating agency or official body to service providers will have to be routed through the CMS.

The proposed system raises privacy concerns as the CMS will have “no manual intervention” by the telecom service providers nor involve paperwork, and the government will have direct electronic access to targets.