Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, May 8 

The Centre has authorised the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise emergency powers related to telecommunications, including interception of messages, suspension of telecom services and decryption of communications during situations involving public safety or national security, according to an official notification issued on Thursday.

The order, issued in the name of the President of India, empowers the Lieutenant Governor to exercise functions of the state government under Section 20(2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

“In pursuance of clause (1) of Article 239 of the Constitution, the President hereby directs that the administrator (whether known as the Lieutenant Governor) of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall … exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the state government under Sub-Section (2) of Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023,” the gazette notification said.

Under the law, authorities may order the interception, monitoring or decryption of messages, suspend telecom services or block transmission of signals in the event of a public emergency or in the interest of public safety.

The notification said the powers would be exercised by the Lieutenant Governor subject to the control of the President and would remain in force until further orders.

Manoj Sinha currently serves as the Lieutenant Governor of J&K.