‘Will verify it’: Centre to top court on J&K L-G’s 4G restoration remark

The Central government told the Supreme Court, on Tuesday, that it will verify media reports claiming that Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu advocated restoration of 4G internet services in J&K.

The centre, through its top law officer Attorney General KK Venugopal, was responding to an argument by NGO Foundation for Media Professionals which claimed that Murmu had made a statement to the media that 4G should be restored, a stance contrary to the central government’s, which in its affidavit had said that such restrictions will have to continue for two more months before they are reviewed again.

“In our affidavit, we have attached a news report showing L-G has made a statement that 4G should be restored. It is also in line with the statements by J&K interlocutor Ram Madhav. I have submitted those media reports,” senior counsel Huzefa Ahmadi, who was appearing for the petitioner NGO told the court.

“We will verify it”, Venugopal told the court.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who was representing J&K, sought more time to file a response.

The three-judge bench headed by justice NV Ramana posted the case for hearing on August 7.

The Central government had told the court on July 21 that a special committee, constituted as per the Supreme Court’s May 11 order to review internet restrictions in J&K, has decided against affording any relaxation to such restrictions for the time being.

In its affidavit, the MHA stated that the special committee held a meeting on June 10 where it comprehensively considered all aspects of the matter - including terrorist related incidents in J&K before deciding to continue with the restrictions on 4G mobile internet.

The Centre’s response was to a petition moved by the NGO in June seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the Central government and the union territory of J&K on the ground that no action was taken to comply with the top court’s judgment of May 11 to review restrictions on internet speed.

The May 11 order was passed by the apex court on a plea filed by the NGO in April challenging the order issued by the J&K administration on March 26 restricting internet speed in mobile data to 2G and praying that 4G internet services be restored in J&K.

The petitioner had claimed that patients, doctors, and the general public of J&K were unable to access the latest information, guidelines, advisories and restrictions about Covid-19 because of restrictions on mobile internet speed to 2G.

It was also pointed out that slow internet speed also renders telemedicine (diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of telecommunication) or online video consultation impossible.

The Supreme Court, in its May 11 judgment, refrained from passing directions to restore 4G mobile internet services in J&K instead constituting the special committee comprising high level government officers to take a call on the same and examine the necessity to allow faster internet in certain geographical areas of the newly formed union territory. The committee was to comprise the secretary of ministry of home affairs, secretary of ministry of communications and the chief secretary of J&K.

The NGO then approached the court in June filing the present contempt petition claiming there is no information available in the public domain about whether the constitution of the special committee has been notified and whether it has conducted any meetings or passed any orders.

The Central government has maintained that there is no contempt made out since the special committee was functional as per the Supreme Court judgment and it has reviewed the restrictions as directed by the court before deciding to continue with the same.