SC denies urgent hearing on PIL challenging govt's surveillance notification

New Delhi: The Registrar of the Supreme Court on Monday denied early hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification allowing 10 agencies to conduct mass surveillance.

Advocate ML Sharma who had filed a PIL in the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the MHA order on grounds of it being 'illegal' and 'unconstitutional'.

Presenting grounds for challenging this order, Sharma in his petition said, "The impugned order has been issued to find political opponent, thinker and speaker to control entire country under dictatorship to win coming general election under an undisclosed emergency as well as slavery which cannot be permitted within the Constitution of India."

He also alleged that such an order would grant the state with rights to access any computer, mobile or any other communication device and would use it to protect the political interest.

Earlier, the apex court had directed its registry not to allow Sharma to file any plea till he deposits Rs 50,000. Sharma today said he has deposited the amount in the registry.

On December 21, the Centre authorised select security and intelligence agencies for purposes of interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource.

The agencies empowered by the government in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, include the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation Agency (NIA), Cabinet Secretariat (RAW) and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.