New Delhi: The Manipur government has extended the 73-day internet ban on the state till 3 pm on July 20.The latest notification, issued today, July 15, by T. Ranjit Singh, Commissioner (Home) of the state government notes that a report submitted a day ago by the state’s Director General of Police observed that there are still “reports of incidents of violence, attacking and arson of houses”.Internet was first cut off in the state – which has seen brutal ethnic violence – on May 3. Several government orders like the one issued today have since then called for its continuation.Multiple organisations and people have petitioned the Manipur high court and the Supreme Court for the resumption of internet.On June 16, the Manipur high court had ordered the Manipur government to allow restricted internet access in certain areas. Almost a month later, on July 7, the high court once again ordered the state government to lift the ban on Internet Lease Line (ILL) and Fibre To The Home (FTTH) connections “after ensuring that all the stakeholders have complied with the safeguards suggested by an Expert Committee.”The Imphal Free Press has reported that some of the safeguards stipulated by the Expert Committee for internet access to be restored include limiting the speed to 10 MBPS, securing undertakings from intended users that they will not indulge in anything illegal, and subjecting the users to “physical monitoring by the concerned authority/officials.”However, the Manipur government has now challenged this order in the Supreme Court. On July 10, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha agreed to hear the matter.The Supreme Court will now hear the plea on July 17, Monday.
