In May 2021 the Government of J&K suspended internet services on three occasions, without promptly publishing suspensions orders. Foundation of Media Professionals has addressed a legal notice to the Government of J&K asking them to comply with directions of the Supreme Court in Anuradha Bhasin.
We wrote to the Rajasthan Government expressing concerns about unauthorised government officials imposing internet shutdowns and lack of periodic review and proactive publication of internet shutdown orders.
No citizen of a democracy should have to suffer through what the people of Jammu & Kashmir experienced and we will keep pushing for broader internet shutdown reform.
IFF along with FSMI and SFLC.in raises alarm about the use of internet shutdowns to undermine the fundamental right to peaceful protest. Such internet shutdowns will only increase the risk of violence and misinformation and they cannot be considered necessary or proportionate.
Read more about RTI work for the month of January, 2021.
In this monthly series, we aim to provide information about how our RTI work is carried out and utilised to demand transparency and accountability from public authorities.
Non-publication of orders issued by the Review Committee and Special Committee continues to remain a problem in Jammu & Kashmir which must be decided by the Supreme Court to ensure independent application of mind by these bodies and implementation of their recommendations.
The central government's recent amendment to the Telecom Suspension Rules will have limited utility and represents a missed opportunity for wider reform because it fails to incorporate directions issued by the SC requiring proactive publication and periodic review of internet shutdown orders.
11 months on from the Supreme Court's decision on internet shutdowns in the matter of Anuradha Bhasin v Union of India, there is still no compliance.
Nine months after the Supreme Court's decision on internet shutdowns in the matter of Anuradha Bhasin v Union of India, there is still no compliance with the Court's decision.