Explorer

Govt wants to monitor WhatsApp messages, says SC; seeks response from Centre on plea against social media hub

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued notice to the Centre on a plea by Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Mahua Moitra and sought Attorney General K K Venugopal's assistance in the matter.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today took a strong note of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's decision to set up a social media hub for monitoring online data, observing that it will be "like creating a surveillance state". The top court said the government wants to tap citizens' WhatsApp messages and sought its response within two weeks A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued notice to the Centre on a plea by Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Mahua Moitra and sought Attorney General K K Venugopal's assistance in the matter. "The government wants to tap citizens' WhatsApp messages. It will be like creating a surveillance state," the bench said. Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Moitra, said the government has issued request for proposal and the tender will be opened on August 20. "They want to monitor social media content with the help of this social media hub," Singhvi said. The bench then said it is listing the matter on August 3, before the opening of tender on August 20 and AG or any law officer for the government will assist the court in the matter. Earlier, on June 18, the apex court had refused to accord urgent hearing on the plea seeking to stay a central government move to set up a 'Social Media Communication Hub' that would collect and analyse digital and social media content. The counsel for Moitra had said that the government is trying to monitor the social media contents of individuals by tracking their social media accounts such as those on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and their e-mails. Recently, the Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the ministry, had floated a tender to supply a software for the project.
View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headlines

Mumbai: 13 Dead After Ferry Capsizes Near Gateway Of India, 101 Rescued, CM Announces Ex Gratia
Mumbai: 13 Dead After Ferry Capsizes Near Gateway Of India, 101 Rescued, CM Announces Ex Gratia
JPC Constituted On 'One Nation One Election' Bills, Priyanka Gandhi, Anurag Thakur Among Members
JPC Constituted On 'One Nation One Election' Bills, Priyanka Gandhi, Anurag Thakur Among Members
Moment When Speed Boat Rammed Into 'Neelkamal' Ferry, Which Capsized Killing 13 In Mumbai — On Cam
Moment When Speed Boat Rammed Into 'Neelkamal' Ferry, Which Capsized Killing 13 In Mumbai — On Cam
'PM Modi Should Sack Amit Shah By Midnight If...': Congress' Big Attack On Centre Over Ambedkar Issue
'PM Modi Should Sack Amit Shah By Midnight If...': Congress' Big Attack On Centre Over Ambedkar Issue
Advertisement
ABP Premium

Videos

Priyanka Gandhi's bag creates a stir in politics, listen to what the Congress MP says in answer to the questions | ABP NewsParliament Session: Mallikarjun Kharge's allegation, 'Amit Shah insulted Baba Saheb Ambedkar' | ABP newsParliament Session: What did Shah say in Parliament after which Congress accused him of insulting AmbedkarParliament Session: 'Let me tell the 54-year-old youth who wants to change the Constitution...' Amit Shah

Photo Gallery

Embed widget