High speed internet ban extended in JK
Srinagar: Barring districts Ganderbal and Undhampur, the authorities on Thursday extended high speed 3G and 4G internet ban across Jammu and Kashmir for another fortnight.
While high speed internet remains banned in the J&K from August 5 last year, the government has cited attempts to disrupt upcoming polls for which it said that the subversive elements ‘heavily rely” upon it.
The government said the recently announced elections to 280 District Development Council Constituencies and bye-elections to more than 13400 vacancies in PRIs/ULB, spread cross J&K are witnessing “high level of interest” amongst the people.
“It is apprehended that the (militants) and separatist elements shall make every possible attempt to disrupt the democratic process. During the last fortnight, there have also been targeted killing of the civilians, political activists, that manifest the nefarious designs of the (militants) to dissuade general public from participating in the election process,” reads an order issued by the Principal Secretary Home Shaleen Kabra.
“Such unlawful acts heavily rely upon high speed mobile internet connectivity and are required to be thwarted by taking appropriate pre-emptive measures to create an environment of safety and security for the contesting candidates and the general public.”
The government said that taking note of the observations regarding regulation of internet services made in the report or the Special Committee constituted by the Supreme Court and the reports of the law enforcement agencies regarding the prevailing security environment, directions for allowing access to the high speed internet services were issued while ensuring that the same do not impede the efforts of the Government towards COVID Control measures, enabling access to educational programmes and ensuring conduct of business activities in an effective manner.
KV Network
