Centre authorizes J&K LG to exercise key telecommunication powers

SRINAGAR — The Central Government has authorized Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to exercise key powers related to telecommunications services in the Union Territory, including during situations involving public safety and national security concerns.

According to an official notification, the President of India directed that the Lieutenant Governor, acting under Article 239 of the Constitution, will exercise powers of the “state government” under Section 20(2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, in Jammu and Kashmir.

The powers include authority to regulate, suspend, or restrict telecom services, intercept messages or communication signals, block transmission, and direct decryption of messages in circumstances linked to public safety, national security, or national emergency.

The notification said the powers would be exercised by the Lieutenant Governor under the supervision and control of the President until further orders.

Officials said the move was intended to strengthen the administrative and security response framework in sensitive situations where communication systems may require immediate regulation or intervention.

The Telecommunications Act, 2023 replaced several provisions of the colonial-era Indian Telegraph Act and introduced a revised legal framework governing telecom operations, surveillance procedures, interception protocols, and emergency powers.

Under the new authorization, the Lieutenant Governor will effectively exercise powers ordinarily vested in a state government under the relevant provisions of the telecom law.