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Kathmandu, Aug 9: Nepali Congress General Secretary Bishwo Prakash Sharma has said the government has no right to spy on citizens.

His remarks come amid growing opposition to the draft bill titled National Intelligence and Investigation Management Bill, which the government recently made public.

Sharma said while the government may have the right to investigate up to someone’s courtyard, it cannot intrude into their bedroom. He added that tapping and recording a person’s phone conversations would amount to the state itself violating citizens’ right to privacy.

He argued that a government claiming to ensure public security should not create room for bad faith under the pretext of surveillance. Given the frequent misuse and misinterpretation of laws in Nepal, Sharma warned that such laws could be exploited by those in power for their own benefit.

He stressed that the government must clearly explain to the people before introducing such laws. Critics say the proposed bill undermines the constitutional right to privacy guaranteed under Article 18 of Nepal’s Constitution.

People’s News Monitoring Service