The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on July 17 a petition filed by the Manipur government challenging a high court decision to relax curbs imposed on use of internet in the state since May 3 following eruption of ethnic clashes.
Appearing for the state, advocate Kanu Agrawal requested a bench led by CJI D Y Chandrachud for urgent listing of Manipur’s appeal as the state apprehended that the return of normalcy would be ruptured by misuse of internet-based communication facilities by miscreants taking advantage of the HC’s order directing major relaxation of the curbs.
“The risk factor for a ‘public order’ issue is considerably high as on date and any misuse of the internet can create an extremely precarious situation which may spiral out of control,” the state said, while defending that the the restrictions imposed on access to internet was neither excessive nor disproportionate to the present situation in the state.
The Biren Singh government said that in a temporary shutdown of internet services in any region, only internet/data services were suspended.