Exceeding 9 SIM Cards Can Cost ₹2 Lakh Fine, 3-Year Jail Under Telecom Law

Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, individuals were permitted to hold up to nine SIM cards, while residents of Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, and the Northeastern states were restricted to six.

Exceeding this limit attracted penalties of ₹50,000 for the first violation and ₹2 lakh for the second. The Act further prescribed imprisonment of up to three years for obtaining a SIM card using another person’s identity.

The Ministry of Communications launched the Sanchar Saathi portal to enable users to verify mobile connections issued in their name and report unauthorised numbers, thereby ensuring compliance with telecom verification norms and preventing misuse.