Pesky calls: SC asks Govt to introduce 'Do Call Register'

NEW DELHI: Pesky calls made to unsuspecting cellphone users by telemarketing companies have not stopped completely despite government's efforts, the Supreme Court on Thursday noted while suggesting introduction of a new 'Do Call Register' facility to curb the menace.

The court observed that cellphone users' fundamental right to privacy was being violated by some telemarketing companies which have been calling them up despite their registration with the `Do Not Call Register' of TRAI.

The court proposed introduction of 'Do Call Register' facility to enlist the names of cellphone users who wish to receive calls related to promotional schemes. Telemarketing companies would be allowed to call only these cellphone users.

Once such a facility is in place, unsolicited calls made to all those cellphone users who do not register for it would become illegal.

A bench headed by Justice A K Mathur directed the government to introduce the new facility in view of the failure of the recently-introduced 'Do Not Call Register' facility which was aimed at allowing consumers, who did not want to be disturbed by telemarketing executives, to sign up.

The bench asked the Centre to file a compliance report within six weeks stating that the new mechanism was being adopted by it to check unsolicited calls made to cellphone users across the country.

It also asked Department of Telecommunications to disconnect the unregistered telemarketing companies which had failed to register themselves within the three months' time given to them in March this year.