Provisions for public emergency or public safety
Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 deals with provisions for public emergency or public safety. On the occurrence of any public emergency, including disaster management, or in the interest of public safety, the Central Government or a State Government or any officer specially authorised in this behalf by the Central Government or a State Government, if satisfied that it is necessary or expedie The Act was enacted on 24 Dec 2023.
(1) On the occurrence of any public emergency, including disaster management, or in the interest of public safety, the Central Government or a State Government or any officer specially authorised in this behalf by the Central Government or a State Government, if satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, by notification—
(a) take temporary possession of any telecommunication service or telecommunication network from an authorised entity; or
(b) provide for appropriate mechanism to ensure that messages of a user or group of users authorised for response and recovery during public emergency are routed on priority.
(2) On the occurrence of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety, the Central Government or a State Government or any officer specially authorised in this behalf by the Central Government or a State Government, may, if satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence and security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, or for preventing incitement to the commission of any offence, subject to such procedure and safeguards as may be prescribed, and for reasons to be recorded in writing, by order—
(a) direct that any message or class of messages, to or from any person or class of persons, to or from any telecommunication equipment or class of telecommunication equipment, or relating to any particular subject, brought for transmission by, or transmitted or received by any telecommunication service or telecommunication network, shall not be transmitted, or shall be intercepted or detained, or shall be disclosed in intelligible format to the officer mentioned in such order; or
(b) direct that any telecommunication service or class of telecommunication services to or from any person or class of persons, to or from any telecommunication equipment or class of telecommunication equipment, or relating to any particular subject, transmitted or received by any telecommunication service or telecommunication network, shall be suspended.
(3) The press messages, intended to be published in India, of correspondents accredited to the Central Government or a State Government shall not be intercepted or detained, unless their transmission has been prohibited under clause (a) of sub-section (2).
(4) The action specified under sub-section (1), sub-section (2) and sub-section (3) shall be for such duration and in such manner as may be prescribed.
Section 20, The Telecommunications Act, 2023 (Act 44 of 2023).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Referred to by 1
Made under this section, and citing it
2 instruments state that it was made under this provision — the power to make it comes from here, so a change to any of them changes what this section requires in practice. Newest first.
Questions about Section 20
What does Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act deal with?
Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act is headed "Provisions for public emergency or public safety". On the occurrence of any public emergency, including disaster management, or in the interest of public safety, the Central Government or a State Government or any officer specially authorised in this behalf by the Central Government or a State Government, if satisfied that it is necessary or expedie
How do I find court cases under Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Telecommunications Act 2023 20, section 20 Telecommunications Act 2023, section 20 of the Telecommunications Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, and has it changed?
1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it. The rules and notifications made under it are where it actually bites, and there are 2: most recently Telecommunications (Procedures and Safeguards for Lawful Interception of Messages) Rules, 2024 (2024), then Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024 (2024).
When was Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act enacted?
Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, cited as Telecommunications Act 2023 20, was enacted on 24 Dec 2023 as Act 44 of 2023. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 56. Power of Central Government to make rules1016 words
- 59. Amendment to Act 24 of 1997827 words
- 2. Definitions497 words
- 42. General provisions relating to offences476 words
- 3. Authorisation452 words
- 4. Assignment of spectrum388 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.