Manipur High Court Orders to Provide Limited Internet Access

Imphal: The Manipur High Court in an interim order on Tuesday directed the state authorities to provide limited internet services to the public in some designated places under strict vigil. The High Court will hear the case again on June 23.

The High Court was concerned about problems faced by the public, especially the students during the ongoing admission process. The Internet remains banned in Manipur since May 4, a day after ethnic clashes broke out in the state.

“Taking into consideration the hardship faced by the public, specially with regard to the ongoing admission process of the students in the State, and to enable the public for carrying out their urgent and essential services, the State authorities are directed to provide limited internet service to the public in some designated places under the control of the state authorities,” the Manipur High Court order said.

The court directed service providers Vodafone, Idea, Jio, BSNL, and Airtel to file a short affidavit explaining whether there is any feasibility of providing limited internet services to the public by blocking social media websites and by safeguarding the concern of the state government to maintain law and order in the state.

The order was issued by Justices Ahanthem Bimol Singh and A Guneshwar Sharma while hearing a bunch of Public Interest Litigations seeking restoration of internet services in the state.