(1) Each authorised agency shall authorise 1[one or more nodal officers], not below the rank of Superintendent of Police or equivalent rank, to communicate an interception order issued under sub-rule (2) or (3) of rule 3 to the nodal officer of the Department of Telecommunications or nodal officer of the telecommunication entity, as the case may be.
(2) The Department of Telecommunications shall authorise two nodal officers in every service area to receive and act upon the interception orders.
(3) Each telecommunication entity shall notify to the Central Government, the contact details including name, designation, phone number and email address of two senior employees 1 The words “two nodal officers” substituted by G.S.R. 625(E), dated 12.09.2025.
in every service area of its operation, authorised as nodal officers to implement the interception orders.
(4) The authorised agency, the Department of Telecommunications, and telecommunication entity shall ensure that –
(a) any matter relating to an interception order is handled only by nodal officers authorised for this purpose;
(b) adequate and effective internal safeguards are implemented to prevent any unauthorised interception of messages; and
(c) confidentiality and extreme secrecy is maintained and utmost care and precaution is taken in the matter of interception of messages.
(5) The nodal officer of the authorised agency specified in the interception order shall convey the interception order to the nodal officer of the Department of Telecommunications or to the nodal officer of the relevant telecommunication entity, as the case may be, in writing or using other secure mode of communication as determined by the Central Government for this purpose:
Provided that any physical delivery of such order shall be done only by an officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector of Police or an officer of equivalent rank.
(6) The nodal officer of the Department of Telecommunications or the telecommunication entity, as the case may be, shall –
(a) within two hours of receiving the communication under sub-rule (5), send an acknowledgement of such receipt to the authorised agency; and
(b) submit fortnightly reports on the first and sixteenth of each month to the authorised agency from which it received such communication, comprising the list of interception orders received during the preceding fortnight with details including reference number and date of interception orders issued or confirmed, as the case may be, under sub-rule (2) or (3) of rule 3, date and time of receipt of such orders, and the date and time of implementation of such orders.
(7) The telecommunication entity shall be responsible for any action of its employees, including its vendors, that results in any unauthorised interception, or any violation of these rules.
(8) Records relating to interception shall be:
(a) maintained by ensuring confidentiality and extreme secrecy; and
(b) destroyed in a secure manner while maintaining extreme secrecy:
(i) every six months by authorised agency, competent authority and review committee, unless these are, or likely to be, required for functional requirements or under court directions; and
(ii) within two months of discontinuation of an order of interception, by the Department of Telecommunications and the telecommunication entity.
(9) The obligations set forth under this rule shall not apply to a telecommunication entity that holds, or is exempted from the requirement of, an authorisation under clause (c) of subsection (1) of section 3 of the Act.