See if 4G possible in J&K: SC to govt
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration that authorities concerned must come up with a definite stand on the possibility of restoring 4G services in select areas of the Union Territory. The apex court emphasised that this matter cannot be delayed any further.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the government if there a possibility that that in some areas of Kashmir 4G Internet services can be restored as the court was informed that as per its earlier directions, a high level committee to review the withdrawal of faster 4G internet services have been setup.
Observing “We cannot say what is happening on the ground, but is there anything that can be done”, Justice N.V .Ramana sitting with Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice B.R. Gavai said, “Whats the basis for
the decision that has been taken? Is there a possibility that in some areas it can be restored?
The court asked the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to take instructions and directed the listing of matter on August 11 for further hearing. The court also asked Attorney General K.K. Venugopal to be present o9n the next hearing of the matter. Seeking time to take instructions, Mehta told the court, “The earlier Lt. Governor Girish Chandra Murmu gave a press interview. Now the new L-G has been appointed. We need time to file a response.”
The hearing saw, Solicitor General Mehta telling the court that they have vfiled the status report and as directed by the court a committee to review curbs on the 4G internet services has been constituted and thus there is no contempt as alleged by the petitioner Foundation for Media Professionals. (FMP)
The Solicitor General also informed the court that the directions for periodic review of the decision to curb 4G services too have been complied with. Objecting to government taking time on one pretext or the other, senior counsel Huzefa Ahmadi told the court that in the last hearing of the matter Solicitor General appearing for J&K took time to go through the rejoinder filed by the petitioner FMP and now they are taking time again.
In the last hearing of the matter on July 28, 2020, the petitioner the Foundation for Media Professionals had told the top court that J&K’s L-G Murmu has favoured the restoration of 4G Internet services in the J&K. The J&K administration by its March 26 order had temporarily restricted the Internet speed in the Valley to 2G.