Telcos should reveal identity of anonymous callers: CIC
By siliconindia   |   Thursday, 04 November 2010, 07:32 IST
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New Delhi: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has asked telecom companies to reveal the identity of people who make anonymous phone calls as privacy issues come after the public interest in terms of preference in such cases. When Hari Shankar Gupta, a resident of Kanpur, approached the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited asking to get details about two anonymous numbers that he used to get calls from, the telecom company refused provide any information under the transparency law. He was told that disclosure of details would offend the privacy of the owners of those numbers. It led Gupta to plead before the CIC to provide him the information. According to Information Commissioner M L Sharma, the calls made to Gupta "may impinge" on his security and were in any case caused "nuisance" to him. "In the circumstances, we are of the opinion that it will be in the larger public interest to disclose the requested information. Hence, the order of the CPIO is set aside and he is hereby directed to disclose the identity and address of the caller", said Sharma. Sharma also said that although inviolable, the right to privacy is not an absolute right either. Safety, security and convenience of the called party are also relevant considerations, Sharma added.

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