Politics · India Bureau
India's telecom ministry moves to strengthen Trai's penalty powers
The government is working to resolve legal and technical obstacles that have prevented the telecom regulator from imposing financial penalties on operators violating anti-spam rules. The move comes as complaints about unsolicited calls and messages continue to surge.
LSN India ·
India's Department of Telecom is addressing systemic issues that have hampered the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai) ability to enforce penalties against telecom operators for breaching regulations on unwanted calls and messages, according to official sources.
"There are certain capability constraints regarding Trai's authority to impose financial penalties on telecom operators for non-compliance with anti-spam norms. The Telecom ministry is actively working to resolve these issues and strengthen that enforcement mechanism," an official told LSN News.
The push comes as grievances related to unsolicited communications have grown consistently since 2022. Official data shows that over 82 percent of complaints are registered against unregistered telemarketers, underscoring the scale of the problem affecting millions of Indian consumers.
Currently, when Trai identifies violations with penal provisions, it submits recommendations to the Department of Telecom for financial deductions. However, implementation has been stalled due to legal and technical complications, preventing penalties from being executed despite Trai's regulatory findings.
Once resolved, the proposed provision would equip Trai with direct penalty authority, potentially accelerating enforcement actions and providing stronger deterrence against repeated violations by telecom service providers.