J&K Lieutenant Governor given telecom control powers during public safety events

The Centre has authorised the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor to workout powers, specified arsenic interception of signals, suspension of work and decryption of messages, related to telecom services successful the Union Territory during nationalist information events oregon nationalist emergency, an authoritative notification said.

According to the bid issued connected Thursday (May 7, 2026), the President directed the Lieutenant Governor to workout the powers and discharge the functions of the State authorities nether Sub-Section 20 (2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023), which deals with situations involving nationalist information and nationalist security, wrong the Union territory.

"In pursuance of clause (1) of nonfiction 239 of the Constitution, the President hereby directs that the head (whether known arsenic the lieutenant governor) of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall, taxable to the power of the President and until further orders, workout the powers and discharge the functions of the authorities authorities nether Sub-Section (2) of Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023), wrong the said Union territory," the notification published successful gazette connected Thursday (May 7, 2026) said.

Using the powers, the Lieutenant Governor tin artifact the transmission, let interception, bid decryption of messages, and suspend telecom services successful the lawsuit of immoderate nationalist exigency oregon successful the involvement of nationalist safety.