New Delhi, Aug. 9: The Central Information Commission has ordered Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to reveal details of security for its online billing system after consumers complained that their accounts were tampered with.

The government telecom provider accepted before the commission it had received several complaints that customers’ online payment accounts were hacked, leading to excess billing, panel sources said.

BSNL Internet services — Sancharnet — are very popular in India, with over 25 lakh users. Subscribers can access their billing information at www.sancharnet.in.

Earlier this year, several complaints of BSNL accounts being hacked surfaced across the country, including in Calcutta.

But at an August 4 hearing on a Right to Information Act complaint, BSNL officials could not explain any security system for the online billing to the information commission, the panel sources said.

“This was a great concern as the matter concerns lakhs of citizens. And the citizens have a right to know if, and how, the service provider is securing their billing accounts,” a senior panel official said.

A BSNL spokesperson said it had warned all subscribers about “exercising care” and “not sharing” their password with others.

BSNL has been asked to reveal the details of its security system for online billing by August 19.