Regulating pesky calls: Govt extends date to give feedback on draft rules by 15 days

New Delhi: The government on Thursday extended the date for stakeholders to submit comments on proposed rules for preventing and regulating pesky calls by a fortnight.

The last date for submission of comments, which was extended after various industry bodies and other stakeholders requested more time to submit their replies, is now 5 August, the consumer affairs ministry said in a statement.

Mint first reported on 4 March that the government plans to introduce the proposed guidelines to regulate unsolicited calls.

The department of consumer affairs has received several suggestions from stakeholders, including consumers, and is examining them, it said. Central ministries were also asked to send suggestions by 21 July.

Regulating unsolicited calls

The government plans to make it illegal for companies to make unsolicited calls or send unwanted text messages to promote their services or hire agents to do so on their behalf from unregistered numbers.

The move to regulate pesky calls comes in response to widespread consumer complaints about the increasing volume of unsolicited calls and messages.

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The proposed rules aim to safeguard consumer rights by implementing stringent measures against telemarketers who fail to comply with established guidelines.

The proposed guidelines aim to tackle spam calls and texts from businesses – especially banks, non-bank lenders, insurance firms and property dealers – which have become a menace in recent years.

Under the draft guidelines, all unsolicited business communication will be subject to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and violations will attract hefty penalties.

The proposed rules also bar communications that violate the Telecom Regulations Authority of India’s (TRAI’s) rules on sending commercial messages based on customer preferences.

Despite existing Telecom Regulations Authority of India’s (Trai) regulations, specifically the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations introduced in 2018, these misleading and deceptive communications have become a significant nuisance for mobile users.

While the do not disturb (DND) registry has proven highly effective for registered telemarketers, the issue persists due to unregistered entities and those using 10-digit private numbers.

As per the proposed rules, telecom operators would have to clearly show the identity of the calling entity and the purpose of the call.

The proposed guidelines include mandatory registration of telemarketers, ensuring accountability and enabling the government to monitor and regulate telemarketing activities more effectively.

Consumer groups want stricter penalties and more transparent complaint resolution processes. “The extension of the feedback period is seen as a positive step, allowing these and other concerns to be thoroughly considered," said Ashim Sanyal, CEO, Consumer Voice.

The government should include the provision of imposing hefty penalties on errant service providers and their agents, he said.

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