KATHMANDU, June 27: A new telecom law has come into effect in India, imposing strict regulations on mobile service providers and their customers. According to the Telecommunications Act 2023, which came into force on June 26, an individual in India cannot have more than nine SIM cards registered in their name. 

For residents of Jammu and Kashmir and the northern states, the limit is even stricter, with a maximum of six SIM cards per person. Violating this law can result in up to three years of imprisonment and fines up to Rs 5 million.

Initial fines for taking multiple SIMs are set at Rs 50,000, increasing to Rs 200,000 for subsequent offenses. Furthermore, service information and advertising messages cannot be sent without the customer's consent.

The law also mandates that telecommunication service providers create an online platform to address customer complaints and improve service quality.