Mobile Internet ban: Manipur HC asks state govt to find ways to restore services

The Manipur High Court has asked the state government to find ways to provide mobile internet services to people. The court was hearing a batch of pleas filed by various parties seeking restoration of mobile internet services which were blocked after violence broke out in the state on May 3. A bench of Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Justice A Guneshwar Sharma on Friday directed, “…state authorities, specially, the home department should consider for devising mechanism/methods for providing internet services through mobile phones by whitelisting the mobile numbers on case-to-case basis and in a phase-wise manner.” It also added, “Accordingly, the state authorities are directed to consider this aspect and to submit a report on the next date.” During the hearing, the state’s counsel submitted that the Manipur government had, earlier, issued necessary orders lifting the ban on providing internet through broadband services (ILL & FTTH) in a liberalised manner. The counsel said this “was subject to fulfilment of certain safeguards/terms and conditions and as of now, many citizens have availed such internet services.” Counsel for the petitioners submitted that since there has been no data leakage through the whitelisted mobile phones, the high court can pass appropriate orders directing the state to whitelist all mobile phones in a gradual manner. The counsel said authorities have conducted physical trials about revoking the mobile internet ban by whitelisting certain mobile numbers. As per the report submitted by service providers, there is no data leakage to any other numbers which are not whitelisted, the counsel added. An indefinite Mobile internet ban has been in force in Manipur since May 3 after violence broke out in the state. The court will again hear the matter on August 31.