Allow internet for whitelisted numbers: Manipur High Court to state govt

Hearing a set of petitions seeking the restoration of internet services, the Manipur High Court had on July 7 directed that the state authorities conduct physical trials to explore the possibility of providing mobile internet services to certain whitelisted mobile numbers. On Thursday, the authorities submitted to the court that the trial had been conducted and a report to this end submitted by service providers stated that there was no data leakage to any other numbers that are not whitelisted.

On Thursday’s hearing, the counsel for the petitioners asked the court to direct the state government to take steps to begin the process of whitelisting mobile numbers since it has been found that there is no data leakage. The counsel representing state authorities sought two weeks to devise a mechanism for this and also sought “liberty to consider whitelisting of mobile numbers on case to case basis and in a phase-wise manner”.

“After hearing the submissions advanced by the counsel appearing for the parties, we are of the considered view that the State authorities, specially, the Home Department, should consider for devising mechanism/methods for providing internet services through mobile phones by whitelisting the mobile numbers on case to case basis and in a phase-wise manner. Accordingly, the State authorities are directed to consider this aspect and to submit a report on the next date,” ordered the court.

The next hearing has been scheduled for August 31.

The reason cited by the state government for continuing the suspension on mobile internet services is that “there are still apprehensions that the spread of disinformation and false rumours through various social media platforms… and sending bulk SMS, for facilitating and or/mobilisation of mobs of agitators and demonstrations, which can cause loss of life and/or damage to public/private property…”