The Centre has asked all the states to make available lists of authorised interceptions every month to check illegal phone tapping. These would be tallied with the records given by the service providers to the department of Telecom of all phone interceptions in the country to detect any misuse. The decision was taken in a meeting of state chief secretaries and Director Generals of Police chaired by Home Secretary G.K. Pillai in New Delhi yesterday.

The Government also shared revised standard operating procedures for phone tapping with states to plug leakage of sensitive information.

The Centre is also putting in place software which will enable mapping of digital footprints to track the offenders in cases of leakage of datas related to wire tapping. It is expected to be prepared within a month and would help agencies who leak the records.

The Centre also asked the states to curb the use of passive interceptions or of the air tapping systems for private sectors.