Mobile Internet service likely to resume today in Barak Valley

By barakbulletin On December 20, 2019 - 2:45 am

The Gauhati High Court on Thursday directed the Assam government to restore mobile internet services by 5 pm the same day. However, the state government did not do so for undisclosed reasons. A source in the secretariat informed that senior officials met after the court order. The law and order situation in the state was reviewed in the meeting, shared a source.

Late Thursday evening, Economic Times reported that NEDA chief and Minister in Assam Government, Himanta Biswa Sarma responded to the publication’s query stating that the Internet service in Assam will resume on Friday.

Sources in Cachar administration said they have not received any official letter but there is a possibility that mobile Internet service in Cachar along with other Barak Valley districts will be restored on Friday.

“A division bench of Justices Manojit Bhuyan and Saumitra Saikia gave the direction after hearing four PILs filed by journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and advocates Bonoshri Gogoi, Randeep Sharma, and Debakanta Doley.

Mobile and broadband internet services were suspended on the evening of December 11, following incidents of violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Act.

Broadband services have already resumed in Assam.

The court observed that it is open to the state authorities taking steps to curb the dissemination of “explosive messages, video” on various social media platforms which may have a tendency to incite violence and destructions affecting public safety.

Senior advocates Arup Borbora, K K Mahanta, U K Nair and Bimal Chetry appeared for the petitioners, while Specially Engaged Counsel Debajit Sah represented the state government and Assistant Solicitor General S C Keyal appeared for the central government,” as reported by PTI.