Broadband Internet to be Partially Restored in Kashmir after 150 Days of Shutdown

After more than 5 months of blackout, the broadband Internet will be partially restored for some institutions in the Kashmir Valley. The process that will be conducted in phases starts from today. But as per the government order, social networking sites, for now, will remain under complete restriction.

The institutions which would be given access to the Internet will include “government websites and websites dealing with essential services, e banking etc” according to the order. Further, the order also specified that the institutions would be responsible for preventing any misuse of the internet and will have to take necessary precautions, including authorised users, the appointment of nodal officers, keeping record and monitoring usage.

Internet access would be first allowed in Central Kashmir, which includes capital Srinagar, followed by north Kashmir Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara after two days. Then South Kashmir, which includes Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama, after another two days.

After a week, a review will be conducted and the Lieutenant Governor will take the final call, whether to restore cellphone Internet or not.

Kashmir Valley has been without internet since August, which was a part of the many restrictions imposed by the government as precautionary measures, against backlash after it ended the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the constitution and bifurcated the state into two union territories.

The decision to restore internet came after the Supreme Court order, which in response to a petition filed last week has ordered the restoration of internet within a week. The court said, “Suspension of free movement, Internet and basic freedoms cannot be an arbitrary exercise of power”.

The three-judge bench led by Justice NV Ramanna said, freedom of speech and expression through the Internet is an “integral part of Article 19 (1)(A) of the constitution, and any expression of dissent or disagreement against a government decision cannot be reason for Internet suspension”. 

The Supreme Court also criticized the repeated use of the British-era rule Section 144 to ban large gatherings in the Jammu and Kashmir valley. The court said, “It can’t be used as a tool to oppress difference of opinion”.

The Supreme Court has also ordered the state to disclose all the restrictive orders, which it had issued in Jammu and Kashmir in the past five months so that they can be challenged legally. The state government will soon comply with the Supreme Court directions.