HELLFIRE From TheRegister’s Asia Roundup : https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/09/asia_tech_news_roundup/ India’s government has proposed giving its tax authorities sweeping powers to access private email systems and applications. The proposal emerged last month in the search and seizure provisions of a tax bill [PDF] which at section 247 requires citizens to provide tax authorities with access to their physical and digital records. The section also gives tax authorities the power to “gain access by overriding the access code to any said computer system, or virtual digital space, where the access code thereof is not available.” That text appears in the same paragraph describing powers to break down doors or crack safes. “Virtual digital space” is defined as follows: Email servers; Social media account; Online investment account, trading account, banking account, etc.; Any website used for storing details of ownership of any asset; Remote server or cloud servers; Digital application platforms; Any other space of similar nature. The bill doesn’t explain how tax authorities would access any of the above. India’s main opposition party, Congress, has labelled the proposed law as warrantless surveillance. “This is nothing but the government trying to take control through the backdoor,” said party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate. India’s government has said the provisions are needed to modernize tax laws for the digital age. The Bill is currently just that, and is subject to further debate before becoming law. If it passes in its current form, India’s tax authorities will start cracking virtual digital spaces in 2026. … Regards
Somewhat-Reticent Legislators generate multitudes of bills that never go anywhere - for contributions, of course. SOP.