The Supreme Court registrar on Monday refused to give an early hearing to a petition against the home ministry order that gives sweeping powers to investigating agencies to intercept and monitor data on computers.
Advocate Manohar Lal Sharma filed the petition challenging the government's notification authorising 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt any computer system and sought to cancel the December 20 notification.
The top court registrar said "there is no urgency in the case".
Ten central agencies have been equipped with powers of "interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer". Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba signed the order last Thursday.
The agencies authorised in the government order are the Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, CBI, National Investigation Agency, Cabinet Secretariat (R&AW), Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and Assam only) and the Delhi Police Commissioner.
In his petition, Mr Sharma termed the notification as "illegal, unconstitutional and ultra vires to the law".
He also sought to prohibit the agencies from initiating any criminal proceedings, enquiry or investigation against anybody under the provisions of the IT Act based on the notification.
The petition claimed that the notification was issued "to find political opponent, thinker and speaker to control entire country under dictatorship to win coming general election under an undisclosed emergency as well as slavery which cannot be permitted within the Constitution of India".
It alleged that the home ministry's "blanket surveillance order must be tested against fundamental right to privacy".
(With inputs from PTI)
Top Court To Hear Petition Seeking Postponement Of NEET-PG 2024 Tomorrow NEET PG 2024: Supreme Court To Conduct Hearing To Postpone Postgraduate Medical Entrance Exam Funds For Freebies But Not For Compensation? Supreme Court Pulls Up Maharashtra What Are Ex Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's Plans? India Says... Luana Alonso, Swimmer Kicked Out Of Olympics For "Inappropriate" Conduct Where Will Sheikh Hasina Go? Bangladesh Ex-PM's Options After Dhaka Exit What Is Bangladesh's Caretaker Leader Muhammad Yunus' Economic Thinking PM Modi Extends "Best Wishes" After Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus Takes Oath Kamala Harris Didn't Agree To Discuss Israel Arms Embargo, Says Aide Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.