Regional shutdown
Assam
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.
- Total Duration 6 hours
India
- Population
- 1,438,069,596
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Partly Free
Local impact
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.
Related documentation
Internet Services to be suspended in 25 districts in #Assam on 28th August #LetTheNetWork pic.twitter.com/Zx7MbGl6oz — InternetShutdowns.in (@NetShutdowns) August 21, 2022
Other supporting information
It’s difficult to measure the effect of local/regional Internet shutdowns as most measurements are done at a country level. Learn more
Social media
People who were commuting to different places were stuck in the airport for many hours as the web check ins and UPI payments came to a halt due to this temporary shutdown. #Assam #Internet https://t.co/kr3sRHrqBt — GPlus (@guwahatiplus) August 22, 2022
🤦🏾♂️ The govt of Assam (a state in India) shut down mobile internet services for 4 hrs bc they were holding recruitment exams and were worried about cheating via whatsapp the Indian Telegraph Act allows for temp suspension of Service for Public Safetyhttps://t.co/0yxbq6SDqV — Sheel Mohnot (@pitdesi) August 22, 2022
Hon'ble MP Shri @pradyutbordoloi wrote letter to the CM of Assam regarding the suspension of internet services for four hours on 21st August and 28th August,2022. pic.twitter.com/yNyCFI6eut
— Assam Congress (@INCAssam) August 21, 2022
The whole day, there was no internet. Just for some Assam Govt related exams? What do those exams have to do with us? We have webinars, online activities and many other events happening. Jeopardising the whole region for those exam centres is not fair! @himantabiswa @dccachar
— Monali Longmailai (@MonaliLong) August 21, 2022
Media coverage
Hon'ble MP Shri @pradyutbordoloi wrote letter to the CM of Assam regarding the suspension of internet services for four hours on 21st August and 28th August,2022. pic.twitter.com/yNyCFI6eut
— Assam Congress (@INCAssam) August 21, 2022
The whole day, there was no internet. Just for some Assam Govt related exams? What do those exams have to do with us? We have webinars, online activities and many other events happening. Jeopardising the whole region for those exam centres is not fair! @himantabiswa @dccachar
— Monali Longmailai (@MonaliLong) August 21, 2022