The Union government’s direction on Friday that all mobile handsets sold in India should have a state-owned app pre-installed has elicited alarm from lawyers and digital rights groups, who contend that this could allow the authorities to spy on citizens.

The government requiring its Sanchar Saathi app to be forcibly installed on all mobile phones is a “serious breach of privacy”, said Prateek Waghre, a technologist-turned-public policy researcher.

“With complete disregard for their consent, people aren't being given a choice to prevent the forced installation of this application,” he said.

Bharat Chugh, Delhi-based lawyer and former civil judge, described the order as “Orwellian”, given the scope for state snooping. “A non-removable app which may have access to calls, messages, and stor

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