Telecommunications Act, 2023 Receives Presidential Assent

New Delhi, Dec 26 (KNN) The recent passage of the Telecommunications Bill through Parliament received the formal approval of the President, on Sunday.

The newly minted 'Telecommunications Act, 2023' is poised to revolutionise the nation's outdated telecom law, emphasising investor-friendly measures while upholding user protection.

Notably, the legislation grants the government enhanced authority to intercept communications in specific scenarios.

The comprehensive legislation excludes broadcasting and popular over-the-top services like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Simultaneously, it establishes clear guidelines for spectrum allocation and introduces a non-auction route for assigning airwaves dedicated to satellite-based communication services.

The bill, which empowers the government to temporarily assume control of telecom services for national security interests, successfully navigated through both the Lok Sabha on December 20 and the Rajya Sabha on December 21.

This legislative milestone supersedes the antiquated regulatory framework governing the telecommunications sector, rooted in the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act of 1950.

A gazette notification states, "The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 24th December, 2023 and is hereby published for general information."

The transformative structural reforms outlined in the Telecommunications Act, 2023 aim to simplify the previously intricate licensing system in the telecom sector, introducing a streamlined authorisation mechanism.

"It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the commencement of that provision," the notification said.

(KNN Bureau)