New Delhi, December 2 (IANS). Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi has given a big statement regarding the notification related to Sanchar Sathi app of the Telecom Ministry. Taking aim at the Telecom Minister, he said that he should read the entire notification carefully, because saying that unnecessary controversy is being created is not at all appropriate.
Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote in the X Post, “I request the Telecom Minister to read the notification. Page 2, Point 7(b) clearly states that no functionality of the app will be disabled nor limited.”
He was referring to the government’s mandatory pre-installation policy of Sanchar Sathi app in mobile phones, due to which the issue is in the news.
The Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, issued a detailed notification in November 2025, making several guidelines mandatory for mobile phone manufacturers and importers.
According to the notification, there is a strict ban on tampering with IMEI. Under the new Telecom Cyber Security Rules 2024, action will be taken against any person found guilty of changing or deleting the IMEI number of a mobile or supplying/custodial devices with fake IMEI. If needed, the government can direct mobile manufacturers to help in testing such devices.
Under Point 7 of the notification, the Department of Telecommunications has taken a big decision. It will be mandatory to pre-install the Sanchar Sathi app in all mobile phones manufactured or imported for use in India within 90 days of the issue of the notification.
The app must appear when the user turns on the phone for the first time and its functionality cannot be paused or turned off.
On the basis of this point, Priyanka Chaturvedi has raised questions on the claim of the ministry.
At the same time, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi said that Sanchar Sathi is a spying app. Citizens have the right to privacy. The central government is turning this country into a dictatorship in every way. He said that the government is refusing to discuss anything. That’s why the House is not functioning.
Many opposition leaders say that this step is a violation of consumer rights. Forced app installation may impact privacy. The government claims that this step is purely for security and no function is binding. The debate on this issue has intensified in Parliament and on social media.
Let us tell you that in the notification, even in the already made and existing phones in the market, companies will have to try to push the app through software updates.
The DoT says the Sanchar Sathi app offers a host of features to consumers, including checking mobile IMEI, reporting lost/stolen mobiles, reporting IMEI tampering and assisting in cyber security.
The government claims that phones with fake IMEI are a big threat to telecom cyber security, hence this step is necessary.
All mobile manufacturers and importers will have to submit compliance reports to DoT within 120 days. If the instructions are not followed, action will be taken under the Telecom Act 2023 and Cyber Security Rules 2024.
However, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday that this app is not mandatory and if users wish, they can easily delete it from their mobile or register and use it.
–IANS
VKU/VC
