Legally India: New Delhi: Saturday,
May 06, 2017.
India has
seen a steep rise in the number of Internet shutdowns over the last few years.
At SFLC.in, we have been tracking such instances of Internet shutdowns – see
our dynamic Internet Shutdown Tracker at internetshutdowns.in for details.
These shutdowns are generally imposed under the authority of orders issued by
State Governments under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973,
blocking mobile and/or fixed line Internet services for different reasons.
In May 2016,
we filed applications under Right to Information Act, 2005 seeking, amongst
other details, copies of the orders that sanctioned Internet shutdowns in
Haryana in February 2016. In response to the applications and the information
sought, we received the following information:
1.
Copies of orders issued under Section 144 of the Criminal
Procedure Code, 1973, by the District Magistrates of Jind, Hisar and Bhiwani,
ordering the stoppage of the Internet services, and
2.
Copies of orders issued by the District Magistrates of
Jind and Hisar, allowing for restoration of Internet services.