RTI Filed: Platforms missed SIM binding deadline, what is the action taken by DoT?

Media Nama: New Delhi: Saturday, 28 March 2026.

MediaNama has filed an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), seeking details on the compliance status of and enforcement actions against companies for non-compliance with the SIM binding directive issued on November 29, 2025.
What we asked:

• A complete list of all messaging applications, social media intermediaries, platforms, or other entities that had not complied with the SIM binding directive.
• The compliance status recorded by the DoT for each such platform, including whether compliance was partial, pending, disputed, or refused.
• Copies of all enforcement actions initiated or taken by the DoT against companies that failed to comply with the SIM binding directive, including issuance of notices, show-cause proceedings, warnings, directions, penalties, service restrictions, or any other regulatory actions.
• Copies of any internal notes, compliance tracking documents, review reports, or status assessments prepared by the DoT regarding implementation and enforcement of the SIM binding circular, which are not marked confidential and form part of the public record.
• Provide copies of all communications that the DoT exchanged with intermediaries or messaging platforms regarding compliance with the SIM binding circular, including emails, notices, advisories, show-cause notices, warnings, responses, representations, and any other non-confidential correspondence that forms part of the public record.

In addition to these, MediaNama also filed RTIs regarding consultations with stakeholders before or after issuing the SIM binding directive, and whether DoT consulted the Ministry of Law and Justice before issuing it.
Why we asked these questions:
SIM binding directive without prior notice: The DoT introduced the SIM binding directive under the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, 2025, without any prior notice or public or stakeholder consultation. It remains unclear how SIM binding would address cyber fraud in India.
No implementation despite the deadline having passed: Nonetheless, unlike the Sanchar Saathi directive, the SIM binding directive remains in force, and none of the messaging platforms to which the DoT sent notices has implemented the SIM binding requirements, even though the 90-day compliance deadline expired on February 28, 2026.
WhatsApp and Arattai plan to implement SIM binding: In March 2026, MediaNama reported that Zoho’s messaging platform Arattai had not implemented SIM binding and did not have a timeline for rolling out the feature. Meanwhile, WhatsApp is reportedly developing features related to SIM binding requirements.
The DoT’s silence: If SIM binding is so important to curb digital fraud, why has the DoT not issued any statements or further notices regarding it, even though no platform has implemented it after the deadline passed? And, under the directive, why has DoT not taken any action against the companies for non-compliance?
Is DoT aware of the infeasibility of SIM binding? Questions about consultations with the tech industry are also important because, during MediaNama’s policy discussion on SIM binding, several experts highlighted the directive’s infeasibility.

• Is the DoT aware of the practical constraints associated with SIM binding?
• Did the DoT seek stakeholder feedback before or after issuing the SIM binding directive?
• If the stakeholder meetings ever took place, what did tech companies or other stakeholders tell DoT, and what did DoT incorporate in the final SIM binding directive, and what did it leave out?

We will update you when DoT responds to our RTIs.