4G internet services will be allowed on a trial basis in one district each in Jammu and one in the Kashmir valley after August 15, the Centre has informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday. A special committee has made this decision, attorney General K.K. Venugopal on Tuesday told the Supreme Court Bench hearing the contempt petition in the restoration of 4G internet in Jammu and Kashmir.
The carefully calibrated easing of internet restrictions is subject to strict monitoring in certain areas. The relaxation will not be in any area adjoining the International Border or the Line of Control, the Centre told the top court. The areas which will get the 4G internet will be those which have a low intensity of terrorist activities. The government will review the situation after two months.
"It is submitted that the special committee held a third meeting on August 10 and consulted with local agencies in Jammu and Kashmir. Various options are being considered keeping in mind border security. The committee is of the view that the threat perception in J&K continues to be high. However, internet restrictions are not posing any hindrance to Covid care, education or business," Venugopal stated in the apex court.
The bench also comprising Justices R Subhash Reddy and B R Gavai said this is a fairly good stand on the part of the respondents (Centre and J-K administration).
High speed internet service in Jammu and Kashmir has been suspended since over a year when the Centre scrapped Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 and it into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
On August 7, the top court had asked the J-K administration to explore the possibility of restoring 4G services in certain areas of the Union Territory.