'Devise Method To Provide Internet By Whitelisting Mobile Numbers On Case To Case Basis': Manipur High Court Directs State Govt

After almost 100 days of a mobile internet blackout in the state, the Manipur High Court on August 10 asked the State Govt to consider devising a mechanism for providing internet services through mobile phones by "whitelisting" the mobile numbers on a case-to-case basis.

The bench of Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma passed this order in several Public Interest Litigations (PIL) pleas filed by various parties seeking the restoration of the internet in the state.

This order comes a month after the High Court ordered the state government to lift the internet ban on Internet Lease Line (ILL) connections in the state after ensuring that all the stakeholders have complied with the safeguards suggested by an Expert Committee.

Pursuant to the Court's order, which was also upheld by the Supreme Court last month, the Manipur Government lifted the ban on broadband services on July 25 after an 83-day of Internet shutdown in the state (the ban was put up on May 3), however, the mobile internet remains suspended.

The state government also informed the High Court that after issuing necessary orders lifting the ban on providing internet through broadband services (ILL & FTTH) in a liberalized manner subject to fulfilment of certain safeguards/terms and conditions and as of now, many of the public have availed such internet services.

Regarding the mobile internet blackout, the State authorities submitted that in terms of the earlier directions given by the Court, the authorities have conducted a physical trial with regard to the opening internet ban through mobile phones by whitelisting certain mobile numbers.

It was also apprised to the bench that and as per the report submitted by the service providers, there is no data leakage to any other numbers that are not whitelisted.

To this, the counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that since there has been no data leakage with regard to providing internet services to the whitelisted mobile phones, appropriate order can be passed by this Court directing the State Government to take necessary steps for whitelisting mobile phones in a gradual manner for providing internet services.

In view of this submission of the petitioners, the State authorities sought two weeks’ time to devise certain measures/mechanisms for whitelisting mobile phones and the liberty to consider whitelisting mobile numbers on a case-to-case basis and in a phase-wise manner.

Granting time of two weeks, the High Court directed the state government to devise the method as aforesaid. The Court has called for a report of the state government in this regard on the next date. The matter has now been listed for hearing on August 31. 

For the uninitiated, ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in May this year between the Meitei people, a majority that lives in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribal community, living in the surrounding hills. The ethnic conflict has claimed over 160 lives so far.

The Apex Court has already expressed its anguish of the manner in which women have been subjected to grave acts of sexual violence in the course of the sectarian strife in Manipur.

The Top Court has also directed to constitute a committee of three former High Court Judges who would look at the relief and rehabilitation of the survivors. Pertinently, the said committee will comprise of:

Case title - Aribam Dhananjoy Sharma @ Paojel Chaoba & 2 Ors. vs. State of Manipur & 4 Ors.

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