Jharkhand HC Orders Resumption of Suspended Internet Services

The Jharkhand High Court ordered the immediate resumption of internet services in the state, which had been suspended during the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination for a few hours on September 21 and 22.

On Sunday, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on an urgent basis, the High Court questioned the necessity of suspending the entire internet service.
In its order, the High Court stated that merely using phrases such as “public interest,” “adequate safety of students at large,” and “ensuring a fair examination” without any factual basis is insufficient to justify shutting down internet services across the entire state. The court reiterated that it is now well established that such an action constitutes an infringement of fundamental rights enshrined under Article 19 of the Constitution of India.

Earlier, the Government of Jharkhand, in an official statement, announced that mobile internet services would be suspended across the state for over five hours on two consecutive days, beginning September 21, to prevent malpractice during the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination (JGGLCCE).

The statement further explained that the step was taken to ensure that the examinations were conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
“It has been observed in previous instances that some unscrupulous individuals resorted to unfair practices using various mobile applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X (Twitter), Telegram, and YouTube, which rely on internet/Wi-Fi connectivity,” the statement read.

The Government of Jharkhand added that the move was necessary to eliminate any potential loopholes in the examination process that could undermine public confidence in the recruitment process and potentially lead to law and order issues impacting public safety.

The statement concluded that the government had thoroughly assessed the situation and determined that temporarily disabling mobile internet, mobile data, and mobile Wi-Fi connectivity during examination hours was a prudent and necessary measure to ensure the integrity of the public examination process.

(INPUTS FROM ANI)