MHA originally claimed that the RTIs on e-surveillance is exempt for national security, but CIC directed the MHA to re-hear the matter. MHA now claims that it has destroyed the info! We filed another appeal before the CIC, and the Delhi HC directed the CIC to tell the HC a timeline for our appeal.
We filed 6 RTI applications in Dec 2018 seeking information about Electronic Surveillance orders passed under Section 69 of the IT Act. Three years have passed since, and we apprehend that the information sought is being continuously destroyed during the pendency of the RTI proceedings.
We filed Right to Information applications to determine the extent of compliance with directions in Anuradha Bhasin. We found that the office of the Udaipur Divisional Commissioner has issued 26 internet shutdown orders, most of which are similar!
Twitter unilaterally and arbitrarily suspended the account of Sushant Singh (@sushant_says) twice, i.e. on February 1 and May 26, 2021. We helped him file RTI requests with the Meity, DoT and MHA. Meity invoked the 2009 Blocking Rules and the RTI Act to deny information to Mr. Singh.
Concerned about the threat to children’s privacy and safety caused by such data breaches, in July 2021, IFF sent thirty-two representations to the State and Union Territory Commissions for the Protection of Child Rights in India.