Gauhati HC directs Assam govt to restore mobile internet services

The Gauhati High Court directed the Assam government to restore mobile internet services at 5 pm on Thursday (December 19).

A division bench of Justices Manojit Bhuyan and Saumitra Saikia gave the direction after hearing four PILs filed by journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, and advocates Bonoshri Gogoi, Randeep Sharma and Debakanta Doley.

Mobile and broadband internet services were suspended on the evening of December 11, following incidents of violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Act. Broadband services have already resumed in Assam.

Also read: Citizenship Act reopens old wounds of Assamese sub-nationalism

The court observed that it is open to the state authorities taking steps to curb dissemination of “explosive messages, video” on various social media platforms which may have a tendency to incite violence and destruction affecting public safety.

Senior advocates Arup Borbora, K K Mahanta, U K Nair and Bimal Chetry appeared for the petitioners, while Specially Engaged Counsel Debajit Sah represented the state government and Assistant Solicitar General S C Keyal appeared for the central government.