The Congress on Thursday warned Indian citizens about the new income-tax bill proposed by the Narendra Modi government that reportedly allows tax officials to pry into the private digital space of individuals
The Congress described the proposed changes as a direct assault on people’s freedom.
“Warning: Your privacy is under attack,” the party said in a social media post that asked the citizens to wake up before it is too late.
The new law, scheduled to come into effect from April 1, will allow income-tax officials access to a taxpayer’s social media accounts, personal emails, bank accounts, online investments, trading accounts and others, a number of news outlets have reported.
“The Modi government is pushing a dangerous new income tax law that will strip away your digital privacy. Once enacted, tax officials will have unrestricted access to your personal data—without oversight, without accountability,” the Congress said.
The main opposition party in the country warned that the I-T officials could read private conversations on emails and messaging apps, posts made on social media accounts, monitor investments made on trading accounts.
“All they need is mere suspicion. No proof. No justification. Just suspicion. This is not about tax compliance — it's about surveillance and control. A government with unchecked power,” the Congress said.
Section 247 of the bill states, “… break open the lock of any door, box, locker, safe, almirah, or other receptacle for exercising the powers conferred by clause (i), to enter and search any building, place etc, where the keys thereof or the access to such building, place etc is not availavle, or gain access overriding the access code to any said computer system, or virtual digital space, where the access code thereof is not available.”
The bill defines digital space as: “An environment, area or realm that is constructed and experienced through computer technology and not the physical, tangible world which encompasses any digital realm that allows users to interact, communicate and perform activities using computer systems, computer networks, computer resources, communication devices, cyberspace, internet, worldwide web and emerging technologies, using data and information in the electronic form for creation or storage or exchange.”
The law adds teeth to the existing powers of the income-tax officials to probe into the digital life of any taxpayer suspected of having evaded income tax on any undeclared earning, money, gold and other jewellery or property or any other item of value.
Section 132 of the existing I-T Act, 1961 empowered the IT officials to conduct searches and seize assets on suspicion of tax evasion. They could break open doors to any almirah or locker and now can do the same with password protected electronic devices.
Former Infosys CEO TV Mohandas Pai, one of the biggest cheerleaders of Prime Minister Modi, has also called out the government on the proposed changes.
“Your email and social media account can be accessed by income tax officers starting next financial year in these cases -This is an assault on our rights! Government should provide safeguards against misuse, get a court order before this,” Pai wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) tagging PM Modi.
Referring to what it called the Modi government’s track record of going after opposition parties and independent critics of the government including media houses, the Congress expressed apprehension that the Centre would use the new law to hound the detractors.
“The Modi government has a proven record of misusing agencies to silence critics and crush Opposition. This new law will give them even more power to: harass and intimidate ordinary citizens, settle political scores by targeting opponents, weaponize the system to destroy reputations and lives,” the Congress said. “This law undermines the very foundation of personal freedom, violates constitutional right to privacy. No citizen will be safe from government overreach.”
