Govt to verify reports on J&K L-G comment
THE NGO SUBMITTED NEWS REPORT WITH ITS AFFIDAVIT THAT SHOWED L-G MURMU SAYING 4G SHOULD BE RESTORED IN J&K
NEWDELHI: The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court it will verify media reports that said Jammu & Kashmir’s lieutenant governor, G C Murmu, has advocated the restoration of highspeed 4G internet services in the Union Territory.
“We will verify,” attorney general K K Venugopal said even as solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who appeared for J&K, sought more time to file a response.
In an affidavit, the Centre on July 21 told the apex court that a special panel constituted as per the latter’s May 11 order to review restrictions on high-speed internet has decided against any relaxations for now. The affidavit was filed in response to a plea from NGO Foundation of Media Professionals seeking contempt of court proceedings against the Centre and J&K on the grounds that no action was taken to comply with the May 11 order.
Venugopal made the submission on Tuesday when the NGO referred to Murmu’s statement to the media that 4G services should be restored. The Centre told the Supreme Court on July 21 that the internet restrictions would continue for two more months before they were reviewed again.
our affidavit, we have attached a news report showing LG [Murmu] has made a statement that 4G should be restored. It is also in line with the statements by J&K interlocutor Ram Madhav. I have submitted those media reports,” senior counsel Huzefa Ahmadi, who appeared for the NGO, told the court.
A three-judge bench posted the case for hearing next on August 7. In the July 21 affidavit, the Centre said the panel had considered all aspects of the matter before deciding to continue the restrictions on 4G services.
The Supreme Court on May 11 refrained from passing directions to restore 4G services and ordered constitution of a panel to take a call on the matter. A communications blackout and a lockdown were imposed in J&K in August last year as part of measures to prevent protests against the Centre’s move to divest the region of its special status.