New provisions of the Telecom Act restrict TRAI chairman’s powers to government secretaries

The government has introduced new rules under the Telecom Act that only government secretaries or officials of equivalent rank can hold the post of chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The rules, which will come into force on 5 July, also prohibit the use of equipment that blocks telecommunications links and introduce measures to optimise spectrum use.

According to the statement, the aim of these changes is to ensure the effective and efficient use of valuable spectrum resources in a technology-neutral manner.