Jharkhand High Court directs state to publish all previous internet shutdown orders

The Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government to publish on its official website, all previous orders pertaining to suspension of internet services in the state, Bar and Bench reported on Tuesday.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and Justice Ananda Sen was hearing a petition filed by the Delhi-based legal services organisation Software Freedom Law Centre.

The petitioners sought disclosure of internet shutdown orders issued by the state government last year. They also sought directions from the court for quashing of these orders and disclosure of the record of all review proceedings.

In response, the government stated that internet services had been suspended only for short periods of time last year to curb rumours and fake information that could have adversely affected the law and order situation.

The court adjudged that there was nothing faulty with the internet suspension orders.

“However, the respondents should have notified the orders suspending the internet services in their web site at appropriate time as per the directions given by the Supreme Court,” it said.

The court also directed the state government to follow the guidelines set forth by the Supreme Court in the landmark judgement of the Anuradha Bhasin versus Union of India and Foundation for Media Professions versus Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir & Another.

In the Anuradha...

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