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Since I can't read it (not disabling ad blocker), does this mean they can do it without the Indian justice system's equivalent to a warrant is?


The article says that it can be done as part of search and seizure operations. And such an operation requires a search warrant. So I'm guessing not. However, the concern is that it may be used to extract information beyond what's relevant to income tax. Honestly, that isn't very farfetched because there have been allegations of planting incriminating evidence using the Pegasus malware. In comparison, a warrant isn't going to be much of a hurdle.


For those interested: "Police Linked to Hacking Campaign to Frame Indian Activists"

https://www.wired.com/story/modified-elephant-planted-eviden...


No. Search and seizure (of which the social media search is now a part of) already needs a due process, but it is not exactly judicial.

https://cleartax.in/s/income-tax-raid


You need a stricter ad blocker. It is readable with js disabled.


No, India has draconian laws about search and seizure (and one could argue, about a whole lot of other legal issues) when it comes to the Income Tax department. It doesn't require a judicial warrant, merely authorisation from a senior official in the Income Tax department (the list is given in the link posted below by another person.)

In practice, Income Tax "raids" have been used as instruments of oppression by governments of the day against political rivals, media outlets critical of the government, or pretty much any person they didn't like following a "the process is the punishment" philosophy. You have to justify every last thing. It's "guilty until proven innocent" when it comes the to Income Tax department in India.

They already could seize all your electronic equipment - phones, computers, etc. - as part of a raid and go through all your files to check if you were "evading income". These new amendments allow them to get even more draconian by compelling you to provide access to your email and social media accounts, which means you have absolutely zero privacy and evidence could even be planted on your accounts if needed. Of course, that would never happen because there is zero corruption in India. /s


Comments like this make me wish HN had a comment pinning or star feature.


Not quite the same thing, but you can "favorite" comments




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