New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear tomorrow a plea challenging the Manipur high court’s order asking for internet in the state to be restored in limited capacity.Internet was first cut off in the state – which has seen brutal ethnic violence – on May 3. Multiple government orders have since then called for its continuation.On June 16, the Manipur high court had ordered the state government to allow restricted internet access in certain areas. This order was made public on June 20.Then, on July 7, the high court once again ordered the Manipur government to lift the ban on Internet Lease Line (ILL) and Fibre To The Home (FTTH) connections in the state after ensuring that all the stakeholders have complied with the safeguards suggested by an Expert Committee, LiveLaw reported.Justices Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Guneshwar Sharma had issued the order in response to a bunch of petitions asking for partial restoration of the internet.However, today, July 10, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta pleaded with the Supreme Court to hear the government’s challenge to the order.The bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha initially agreed to hear the matter today. The apex court was to also hear other petitions on the Manipur violence. However, it has now adjourned the matter to July 11.Earlier, Supreme Court refused to hear new petitions challenging facets of Manipur’s two-month-long internet ban, citing that the Manipur high court was already hearing it.
