Pesky callers have had a free run for too long. That may be about to end

livemint.com:

NEW DELHI : Unwanted promotional calls from unregistered phone numbers may attract stringent action in the near future, with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) preparing to crack down on the practice. The CCPA is meeting industry stakeholders this week to finalize a mechanism to end unsolicited commercial calls and messages, two people aware of the matter said.

At the meeting, the CCPA will present case studies from foreign countries that have successfully controlled such calls. “The do-not-disturb (DND) facility of the telecom department covers only number series specifically allotted for commercial calls," one of the two people said on the condition of anonymity.

“However, there is no such rulebook for unwanted calls being made from 10-digit numbers registered in the name of individuals. It falls under unethical trade practices, and the CCPA has the mandate to act against it." Telecom service providers, individuals and errant firms responsible for unwanted calls may face punitive action once the new mechanism is rolled out.

This will be the first time penalties are proposed against telcos for violating privacy and breaching consumer rights, the second person added. Queries emailed to the consumer affairs secretary, spokespersons of the consumer affairs ministry, Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, HDFC Bank and Bajaj Finance remained unanswered.