Snooping allegations against the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat have brought back the attention on privacy of individuals. But can security  and intelligence agencies tap phone calls under the law? Yes they can. A provision in the Telegraph Act allows them to put phones on surveillance for seven days in emergency situations. They can use the emergency route in case the location is remote and obtaining permission is not feasible, and also for operational reasons. These agencies purportedly stop surveillance on the sixth day, so that they need not have to justify the reasons for tapping. Officials say once the Central Monitoring System starts functioning, there will be more clarity, as the system will generate records of surveillance carried out in emergency situations. Sahil Makkar explains the process of interception and surveillance:

Illegal phone-tapping through legal means

Business Standard

Prime minister's reticence hasn't been good for his government

Three in ten

After turning the concept of politics on its head, the ubiquitous teeli wala jhadu is fuelling the imagination of entrepreneurs. Tradus.com, which defines itself as India's largest location-based marketplace, is offering the aam aadmi's symbolic jhadu for Rs 5. And, it's not just any jhadu. The company tells us that this particular "fine quality Teeli Wala Jhadu, manufactured at  production units in Delhi NCR" is 36 inches long and "utilises premium-grade factory inputs. The Jhadu has been tested on well-defined parameters of quality in order to offer the perfect product to patrons." Now, the Rs 5 carrot is valid only for the first 1,000 orders. The price, we are told, will be raised after the promotional stock is over.

A clean sweep for business

A change of guard at the environment ministry was indicated with a subtle change for those visiting Paryavaran Bhawan, headquarters of the environment ministry, on Wednesday. Officials greeted visitors at the reception with sweets to mark the new year. But there was clearly another message in the medium. After all, Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily took additional charge of the environment ministry just last week after Jayanthi Natarajan stepped down, allegedly on account of her anti-industry approach. When an official was asked whether this was a new year special, he promptly responded: "It is a new minister special."

Sweetening the green ministry

Encouraged by the recent statements of Congress vice-president and possible prime ministerial candidate Rahul Gandhi, National Spot Exchange Ltd investors have written to him. In the letter, the investors have come up with interesting adjectives for all the agencies that are looking into the scam right from the "mute prime minister's office", an indifferent finance minister's office, a young corporate affairs minister, reluctant enforcement directorate and "relaxed, incompetent, if not seriously compromised" economic offences wing with Sebi remaining a mere observer. The question, of course, is whether the enigmatic Gandhi can do anything about their problems.

The NSEL raga

The editorial "More subsidies" (January 2) rightly raises doubts about the correctness of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) beginning its innings with a pair of subsidies to the voters in Delhi. The voters supported the party's promise of clean and efficient administration. The integrity of its members while in power is yet to be tested. Generally, power corrupts steadily but imperceptibly. When the Janata Party came to power in 1977, its ministers took a pledge at Rajghat to provide honest and capable administration. They ensured neither.As for efficiency, AAP seems to have opted for populism instead of evolving systems that deliver people good service at the same or reduced cost. Whether ensuring leak-free electricity or water supply or checking corruption-breeding measures, AAP will require support from the serving bureaucracy at all levels. Being a former bureaucrat himself, Arvind Kejriwal knows how the babus can put spokes in the wheels of change in a subtle but persistent manner. The di

Letters: Twin tests for AAP

I wish to add to the concerns regarding subsidies expressed in the editorial "More subsidies", and Kanika Datta's column "Big bang insanity" (Swot, January 2). The equivalent of Gresham's law, bad money drives out the good, has always applied to economic policies, and nowhere is it more relevant than in the case of across-the-board subsidies. It is already rearing its head with the local Congress leaders asking for power subsidies in Maharashtra similar to those announced by the new Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi. The burden of the new water and power sops in Delhi by the new government's own calculation is around Rs 960 crore for a full year. If every Indian were to be offered similar subsidies, the additional burden on this account alone would amount to a whopping 0.6 per cent of our current gross domestic product. Are the champions of the common people leading us to bigger bang insanities?Shreekant Sambrani  VadodaraLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Busine

Letters: Bigger insanities

In India, there is a ban on alcohol advertisements in the mass media. Whether there should be a ban on alcohol products or not involves nuances missed by people on either side of the argument.All major alcoholic product manufacturers advertise, ostensibly non-alcoholic products with the same name, logos and overall appearances as their alcoholic products. Most of the advertised products are actually non-existent. In all the cases, manufacturers are paying more for the advertisements of these proxy products in a month than the decades of sales of these products. It is a travesty of law that should be amended without any delay. If, as a society, we decide that it is acceptable to have alcohol advertisements in the mass media then that's fine, but what is the point of allowing such an openly exploited loophole? If we decide that there should be a continuation of the ban on the advertising of alcoholic products then the manufacturers should be forced to comply with having different visible

Letters: It's high time...

Family businesses

RAVNEET GILL

BRIJESH MEHRA

KRISHNAMOORTHY HARIHAR

SANJIV BHASIN

The year 2013 has not been kind to banks in India. The deterioration in credit quality, the stress on profitability and the absence of loan demand have made life difficult for bankers. For many foreign banks the India opportunity has turned into a challenge. Often perceived as fair-weather friends, foreign lenders have now been asked to create subsidiaries in India.While it is not mandatory, except for those who entered India after August 2010, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) wants most of them to opt for subsidiary mode of presence. But at a time when battered by the global financial crisis many foreign lenders are re-evaluating their investments across emerging markets, not many are expected to commit fresh capital in creating subsidiaries in India. A few, however, are open to the idea of subsidiary mode of presence as it offers near-national treatment to foreign banks in terms of branch expansion in the country.At the end of March 2013 there were 43 foreign banks from 26 countries o

When opportunity turns into a challenge

Sector-wise allocations in 2013The real estate sector attracted the most investments accounting for 16.61% of the total investments in terms of deal value, with an aggregate of $1.77 bn (46 deals). The software & services sector was the second, attracting $1.59 bn (14.96%) across 202 deals last yearTelecommunication services, Health Care Equipment & Services and Retailing were the other top Industry Groups.

A snapshot of PE activity & deals

Decide in the open

The AAP's hurry may result in irresponsible governance

More subsidies

It is well known that the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is pushing hard to make its mark across the country. In an effort to make its presence felt, the party's Kerala wing recently organised an event that was addressed by national general secretary Mukul Roy. But the bigger news was the drama - literally - that followed Roy's address. Local media saw protests from the audience which included 200 junior cinema artistes hired by the local leadership to show that the meeting was house full . The artistes were reportedly told that they were attending a shoot and were not paid at the end.

Drama, Trinamool style

Arvind Kejriwal has been tweeting regular updates about his fever and diarrhoea and was seen coughing through press conferences. But the visibly sick Delhi chief minister has been sending shivers down the spines of physicians in the city's government hospitals. The capital's medical circles were abuzz with a rumour that there was a surprise visit to one of the major hospitals on Monday night and a couple of night duty doctors were suspended for being absent.

Sick CM and shivering doctors

North Block is becoming so crowded that although the work of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme has been moved to the finance ministry officially, two DBT officials are still operating from the Planning Commission headquarters in Yojana Bhavan. One is the Mission Director S Sundareshan and other is an advisor. Insiders said the two top officials are still to find suitable office space within North Block.

Crowded out

We count 2014 as a crucial calendar year for India. This is because the general elections are scheduled to be held in 2014. It will define the idea of India. The voters will make the crucial decision whether India remains a secular, pluralist state or it retreats from the vision of the founding fathers. "Unity in diversity" is not a phrase empty of meaning, but an article of faith and a living philosophy for all patriots. India is unique for its diversity and tolerance. The repudiation of these defining national traits and their replacement with uniformity and intolerance is a recipe for disintegration. Secular politics is the antidote to communal tension. Communal strife is the biggest barrier to peace and prosperity. Communal riots must become a thing of the past. India can bear no more Muzzafarnagars. Communal harmony is an essential pre-condition for economic growth. Secularism, the talisman that keeps the country united, is part of India's rich cultural heritage. Hopefully, 2014 w

Letters: Crucial 2014

This refers to the editorial "AAP's next step" (December 30). The swearing-in ceremony of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his team at the historic Ram Lila Maidan in the capital was a different affair in the sense that there was in his voice that burning desire to serve society with absolute dedication. The manner in which Kejriwal addressed the massive crowd that was a sea of people reiterating his poll promises of ensuring a corruption-free India and providing clean and transparent governance was simply amazing. Here is a man who is genuinely interested in the development of the country and its masses. Attempts would be made to pull him down by many who do not want this change to happen. The Aam Aadmi Party needs to make the best out of it to emerge stronger. Truth is often eclipsed but can never be extinguished.Srinivasan Umashankar  NagpurLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (01

Letters: A new beginning

The report "The curious case of SBI" (December 31) is not based on facts. While the analysts and market had reacted positively to SBI's half yearly results as on September 30, 2013, due to conscious efforts made by the bank to contain the trend of rising non-performing assets and making adequate provisions for an expected rise in staff costs due to impact of the proposed wage settlement, the report has chosen to highlight a 35 per cent drop in profit, deliberately ignoring the weak economic conditions and the general trend of results of public sector banks. The reason for the fall in profits mentioned by in the report as an attempt to cleanse the balance sheet is absolutely wrong. None of the provisions made during the period indicate any such unexpected item(s). The rest of the contents of the report article paint a negative picture of an otherwise improved working results of the bank. It has never been the intention of the bank or any of its officials to either hide or overdo certain

Letters: SBI clarifies

Do you think B-schools should make changes in their entrance test pattern to also attract students from humanities background?

Students' Corner

At this point, the pre-poll allies of the BJP can be counted on the fingers of one hand

Business Standard

Business Standard

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