4G to return in J&K after Aug 15 on trial basis: Centre

NEW DELHI: Restrictions on 4G mobile internet will be relaxed in one district each of Jammu and Kashmir divisions of India’s youngest Union Territory (UT) after August 15 on a trial basis, the central government told the Supreme Court on Tuesday, stopping short of a blanket removal of restrictions across the region because of security concerns.

The decision was arrived at on the recommendations made by a special committee constituted on the top court’s May 11 directive to the Centre to review restrictions on high-speed mobile internet in J&K, the government’s senior-most law officer, attorney general KK Venugopal, informed a three-judge bench headed by justice NV Ramana.

“Access to high speed internet could be provided on a trial basis in a calibrated manner in specified limited areas to assess the impact on the security scenario; the area should have low intensity of terrorist activities. The relaxation from 2G to 4G should be limited for the present to one district each in the Jammu division and Kashmir division,” Venugopal said, reading out the committee’s recommendations.

The relaxation will be reviewed by state authorities every seven days and by central authorities after two months, Venugopal added.

“Any opening on a trial basis should not be in any area adjoining the International Border/ Line of Control. Keeping in view the heightened threat perception, these relaxations would come into effect after August 15,

2020.”

The court was hearing a petition filed in June by the Foundation for Media Professionals, an NGO, seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the Centre and J&K administration for failure to comply with the top court’s May 11 directions to review restrictions on mobile internet speeds in the Union Territory.