Internet Shutdowns

Internet services were suspended in the Itanagar Capital region on 17 February 2023. It is believed to be imposed under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which allows the government to impose curfews and other restrictions in order to maintain public order. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.  

Internet services were suspended in Jharkhand on 16 February  2020It was imposed under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which allows the government to impose curfews and other restrictions in order to maintain public order.Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.

Internet services were suspended in the Jammu and Kashmir region on 02 February 2023It is believed to be imposed under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which allows the government to impose curfews and other restrictions in order to maintain public order.Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.

Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across 27 of the state's 35 districts on 28 August 2022, between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 (local time) to avoid malpractice during the written examination for Class-III government post. These orders followed similar orders from the 21 August for the written examination for Grade-IV government post. These orders come despite a petition in March 2022 to the West Bengal High Court challenging a government move to suspend internet services to control cheating in the Madhyamaik Examinations. from which the court acknowledged but stayed the order. According to a report, the court disposed the matter by saying, “The Rule of 2017 are required to be complied with and the Supreme Court has already laid down the law which is binding under Article 141 of the Constitution, hence, we express hope that while issuing any such order in future, the State authorities will duly comply with the same.” According to the Internet Freedom Foundation, this was an important judgement by the High Court because it would be useful when persuading states to follow the law on internet suspension. Some report that some mobile Internet service providers suspended Internet services for the day.

Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across 25 of the state's 35 districts on 21 August 2022, between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 (local time) to avoid malpractice during the written examination for Class-IV government post. Similar orders have been given for Class-III government post exams on Sunday, 28 August. These orders come despite a petition in March 2022 to the West Bengal High Court challenging a government move to suspend internet services to control cheating in the Madhyamaik Examinations. from which the court acknowledged but stayed the order. According to a report, the court disposed the matter by saying, “The Rule of 2017 are required to be complied with and the Supreme Court has already laid down the law which is binding under Article 141 of the Constitution, hence, we express hope that while issuing any such order in future, the State authorities will duly comply with the same.” According to the Internet Freedom Foundation, this was an important judgement by the High Court because it would be useful when persuading states to follow the law on internet suspension.  

Authorities suspended the mobile Internet services in Rajasthan's Bhilwara city from 11 to 12 April 2022 to 'maintain law and order' following a murder. This was the second 24-hour shutdown in the region in a week. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.

Authorities suspended Internet services in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district from 5 to 6 May 2022 to maintain law and order following an attack on two persons. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.

Mobile Internet and SMS services were susspend in Jodhpur (Rajasthan) for three days after local authorities imposed a curfew under Section 144 following communal violence in the city on 3 May 2022. Fixed lines and cable broadband connections, as well as voice calls, were still operational. The District Magistrate cited Section 2(i) of the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017 as grounds for the order. This section specifically deals with the checks and balances in place around ordering Internet shutdowns. This was the second Internet shutdown in the region in the last month — a week-long internet shutdown was imposed in Karauli district of Rajasthan in the first week of April 2023, reportedly prompted by communal clashes. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.

Authorities suspended mobile Internet and SMS services in the Patiala district in Punjab on 30 April 2022 (between 9:30 to 16:00 local time) to maintain law and order following a clash between two groups the day before. The Punjab government said the decision had been taken in the public interest with a view to stopping the spread of misinformation and rumors, through social media platforms. Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country, or in other countries.

The state government of West Bengal in India ordered Internet shutdowns in seven districts from 11:00 to 15:15 IST on March 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 16 to prevent exam question papers from being leaked. Internet shutdowns during exams impact the ability of citizens to access online businesses, banking services, health services, educational institutions, or contact loves ones. The Suspension Order was challenged in a petition filed by Ashlesh Biradar, a digital literacy fellow at Internet Freedom Foundation and a resident of West Bengal, on who argued that the Suspension Order was illegal because: It did not contain any material facts to demonstrate why it was necessary to suspend internet services; It was issued under Section 144 of the CrPC even though it is not permissible to do so, according to the decision of the Supreme Court in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India. Moreover, assuming that it could have been issued under Section 144 of the CrPC, it has been issued by an officer not empowered to issue such an order under the provision; It has not been issued because of a public emergency or on account of public safety, which are prerequisites for suspending internet services under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017 (Telecom Suspension Rules); It does not comply with the directions of the Supreme Court in Anuradha Bhasin, as the Suspension Order was not published by the West Bengal Government, and also because it is disproportionate; and It restricts the right to speech guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. This is only the second time that a court in India has stayed an Internet suspension order.