New Delhi: Former RSS K N Govindacharya has moved apex court raising concerns over the use of foreign-based software and internet applications for video-conferencing by the judiciary and government departments, saying there is a high-security risk.
He further asked amendment in the rules of Supreme Court Rules and High Court to provide necessary safeguards for hearing through video conferencing.
Govindacharya contended that due to the lockdown various foreign internet companies' video conferencing software are being used which mandates the transfer of data outside India besides its commercial exploitation.
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Moreover, he added that "transfer of data, especially governmental and judicial data outside India impacts national security and contravenes the public records act,1933, the official secrets act,1923, the email policy as well as policy for usage of IT resources of the Government of India."
Further, this might assist directly or indirectly in affecting India's "sovereignty and integrity".
Citing doubts which have been raised over the video conferencing software lately, Govindacharya exclaimed that it would be best to utilise video conferencing software provided by the National Informatics Centre(NIC) for the functioning of the Government and the Judiciary. And in case it is not readily available, software can be purchased from a private vendor which may be audited by the NIC and then certified for the usage.
