Facing backlash, govt takes back Sanchar Saathi pre-install order

The central government has withdrawn directions requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app by March next year, a move that had sparked political uproar and triggered a social-media backlash.

- GULVEEN AULAKH

The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) said Wednesday that handset makers were no longer mandated to pre-install the app, with the government reversing course after a sharp spike in downloads following last month's directive.

"Given Sanchar Saathi's increasing acceptance, the government has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers," stated the DoT, under the Ministry of Communications. Officials said the department would issue a circular to that effect.

The statement came a day after the government clarified that the app could be deleted, even as some global handset makers had indicated they were unlikely to implement the mandate.

The department added that more than 600,000 citizens registered to download the app in a single day after the DoT diktat - a tenfold increase. It said 14 million users had downloaded the app and were contributing information on 2,000 fraud incidents a day. "The number of users has been increasing rapidly and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available easily to less-aware citizens," the department said, outlining the rationale behind its earlier directive.