With Apps Like 'whatsapp' So Much In Vogue -Is The Indian Govt's Restriction On The Number Of SMS Of Any Use ?

The government's answer to the rumor-driven Northeast exodus was to cap text messages - first at five a day, then, a week later, at twenty. But as our headline asked at the time: with WhatsApp, BlackBerry Messenger, and Facebook already in vogue, was rationing SMS of any use at all? The critics had a point - the panic had spread substantially through data-based apps the cap never touched. Below is the original report.

Govt increases SMS limit to 20 with immediate effect

After checking the use of SMSes to prevent spreading of rumours which had led to mass exodus of northeastern people from certain states, the government on Thursday increased the number of SMSes to 20 per day with immediate effect.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Communication, it has been decided to revise the permissible limit of "bulk SMS/MMS to 20 in place of five with immediate effect".

"The other conditions will remain the same," it added. The decision to put a cap on the number of SMSes was taken after reports of widespread circulation of SMSes and MMSes containing misleading information about Assam violence, threats to people of northeastern origin living in other parts of the country and doctored videos.

The Home Ministry has asked Department of Telecommunications to implement the order through telecom operators.

From Thursday onwards, the mobile customers in the country, which is more than 930 million, can send a maximum to 20 SMSes in one go and more than 25 KB of data through mobile phones during the ban period.

The ban came into force after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that spreading of rumours by miscreants had led to people belonging to the north east fleeing from Bangalore, Pune and some other parts of the country.

Noting that the guilty should be brought to book, the Prime Minister had said that at stake was not just unity and integrity of the country, but also communal harmony. "Any miscreant fanning rumours should be brought to book,"he said.