Ahead of Union ministers' visit to Jammu and Kashmir starting on Saturday, voice and SMS facility have been restored for prepaid mobile connections in the Union Territory. "After a careful review, the competent authority has ordered today that voice and SMS facilities shall be restored on all local prepaid sim cards across Jammu and Kashmir," said Rohit Kansal, principal secretary.
In addition, the government will also allow 2G mobile data on postpaid mobile for accessing whitelisted websites in all 10 districts of Jammu, Kupwara and Bandipora in Kashmir division, Kansal added. This is in line with the government's three-page order issued on Tuesday where it asked Internet service providers to offer broadband facility (with Mac binding) to all institutions dealing with essential services such as hospitals, banks and government offices.
The order comes into effect from January 15 and shall remain in force for seven days, a government communication had said.
The relaxation came days after the Supreme Court said access to the internet is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution. The SC verdict had come on January 10 on a batch of pleas challenging the curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre's abrogation of provisions of Article 370 on August 5 last year.
The court had also asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to review within a week all orders imposing curbs in the Union Territory. It had asked the J-K administration to restore Internet services in institutions such as hospitals and educational places providing essential services.
Meanwhile, as part of a massive outreach programme, 38 central ministers, including Smriti Irani, G Kishan Reddy, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Kiren Rijiju, among others, will visit 60 locations in Jammu and Kashmir starting from Saturday.
