Government Likely to Delay Tabling of New Telecom Bill in Monsoon Session

Reported by Tanuja K July 17th, 2023 at 10:14 am

While the government has assured a light-touch regulatory approach, companies affected by the bill continue to voice their opposition. The government has categorically maintained that they don't have any intent of bringing a licensing regime for OTTs. The focus is protecting the users, their safety, and online trust. What needs to be done for that will be done.

Highlights

The decision to delay tabling the new telecom bill reflects the government's cautious approach.
While the bill's provisions are expected to cut across multiple sectors, the government will provide clarity through carveouts in other bills they are preparing.
If the regulations aren't cutting deep into the privacy of an average user, their presence doesn't hurt anyone.

Government

In a recent update, sources within the government revealed to Livemint that the much-anticipated new telecom bill is unlikely to be tabled during the forthcoming monsoon session. While internal discussions are underway and stakeholders have expressed their views, officials emphasise the need for a thorough evaluation before moving forward. As one government official, who preferred to remain anonymous, put it, "There are multiple elements here that have to be stitched together. We don't want to rush it."

It appears that the government had previously aimed to table the bill during the session, which is scheduled to run from 20th July to 11th August. Last year, in September, the government introduced the Draft Indian Telecommunications Bill, 2022, which proposed expanding the scope of telecommunication services to include over-the-top (OTT), internet-based, and satellite-based communication services, as well as broadcasting, internet, and broadband services. However, this proposal faced criticism from social media and technology companies operating in the messaging space. Concerns were raised about potential regulations on OTT communication apps.

While the government has assured a light-touch regulatory approach, companies affected by the bill continue to voice their opposition. The government has categorically maintained that they don't have any intent of bringing a licensing regime for OTTs. The focus is protecting the users, their safety, and online trust. What needs to be done for that will be done.

While the bill's provisions are expected to cut across multiple sectors, the government will provide clarity through "carveouts" in other bills they are preparing. The decision to delay tabling the new telecom bill reflects the government's cautious approach and commitment to ensuring a comprehensive framework that addresses stakeholder concerns.

At the end of the day, if the regulations aren't cutting deep into the privacy of an average user, their presence doesn't hurt anyone.