Jharkhand High Court Pushes for IT Act Officer Appointment Amidst Cyber Crime Surge

The Jharkhand High Court has issued a directive to the state government, calling for the swift completion of formalities to appoint an adjudicating officer under the Information Technology Act. This position, critical for handling cyber fraud and data breaches, has remained unfilled for 21 years, despite statutory requirements.

The bench, comprised of Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar, heard a public interest litigation filed by Manoj Kumar Singh. The petition stressed the need for the appointment to ensure victims of cybercrimes receive due compensation, as prescribed by the IT Act.

The court has given the government four weeks to act, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for September 15. Petitioner's counsel, Utkarsh Singh, highlighted the adjudicating officer's quasi-judicial capabilities, including summoning individuals and awarding compensations up to Rs 5 lakh, to potentially reduce the legal system's burden.

(With inputs from agencies.)