In a move to counter cyber security threat, the Prime Minister's Office has banned use of mobile phones in cabinet meetings. The decision was aimed at preventing leak of any sensitive information about the cabinet decisions and matters of policy making.



The Central Secretariat recently issued a circular to this effect. The circular was issued at the direction of the PMO.

The Central Secretariat asked all the private secretaries to brief their ministers 'appropriately' about the decision that "smart-phones/mobile phones henceforth will not be permitted inside meeting venues of Cabinet/Cabinet committees."



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CYBER THREAT

On the basis of the intelligence inputs, the government fears that the devices may be hacked by Chinese or Pakistani agencies in the aftermath of the surgical strikes.



The government has already instructed employees of sensitive departments not to connect their mobile phones to their official computers or laptops even for charging. The departments in the South Block- that houses the PMO, Defence Ministry and Ministry of External Affair are no-smartphone zones.



BANNED IN UK, FRANCE



Mobile phones are already banned in the cabinet meetings in Britain and France. David Cameron imposed the ban on mobile phones in cabinet meetings in May 2010, when he was the prime minister of Britain.



In France use of mobile phones during cabinet meetings was prohibited in April, 2014.



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