TRAI Refutes Congress Claim of Blocking SMS Outreach on Maharashtra Polls
The telecom regulator’s rebuttal came after some members in the Congress party on Sunday claimed that the Trai rejected its application for sending out SMSes to its Maharashtra cadre with the link of a documentary on how Maharashtra assembly elections were allegedly "stolen" on the grounds that it is content related to protest
New Delhi: Telecom watchdog Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Monday clarified on some complaints that it did not receive any application that pertained to sending SMS to a political party’s Maharashtra cadre on how the 2024 Assembly election was allegedly ‘stolen’, as the regulator asserted that it doesn't even approve individual SMS templates.
The telecom regulator’s rebuttal came after some members in the Congress party on Sunday claimed that the Trai rejected its application for sending out SMSes to its Maharashtra cadre with the link of a documentary on how Maharashtra assembly elections were allegedly "stolen" on the grounds that it is content related to protest.
In a statement, the regulator also noted that certain media reports alleging that Trai has rejected the application of a political party for sending SMS to its workers in Maharashtra in relation to a campaign of the party. “Trai categorically denies any role in the acceptance or rejection of such individual SMS campaigns. The approval or rejection of SMS message templates is carried out by the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs),” the statement said.
Trai reiterated that it has no role in the specific instance reported in the media. “Trai is not involved in the acceptance or rejection of individual SMS campaigns. These functions are carried out by TSPs in accordance with the framework prescribed under TCCCPR, 2018,” it said
