Broadband, 2G Internet Partially Restored in J&K Hotels, Hospitals

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on evening of Tuesday, 14 January, allowed mobile Internet in parts of Jammu region and broadband in hotels, travel establishments and hospitals but only on white-listed websites, official said, PTI reported.

In a three-page order, the home department said additional 400 internet kiosks will be established in Kashmir division.

Internet service providers will offer broadband facility (with Mac binding) to all institutions dealing with essential services, hospitals, banks as also government offices.

Mac Binding means to enforce a client machine to work from a particular Internet Protocol address.

In order to facilitate tourism, broadband internet would be provided to hotels and tour and travel establishments.

The order also said that the 2G mobile connectivity on post-paid mobiles for accessing white-listed websites including e-banking will be allowed in districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi- all in the Jammu region.

While in the other districts of Jammu and Kashmir, mobile internet connectivity will remain suspended till any further orders.

It will be effective from Wednesday, 15 January and will remain in force for 7 days, unless modified earlier, ANI reported.

The order comes days after the Supreme Court, in a significant judgment, on Friday, 10 January, observed that the access to internet cannot be suspended indefinitely.

A three-judge bench held that freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution includes the right to internet. Any restrictions on access to internet have to follow the principle of proportionality under Article 19(2) of the Constitution.

The apex court, however, did not strike down any of the restrictions in Jammu & Kashmir, including the five-month internet shutdown. The bench, however, laid down the law on how such restrictions in the state are to be assessed and challenged.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)