The Manipur high court, after an in-chamber hearing on Saturday, ordered the partial lifting of the ban on internet services in the state. The court directed the Manipur home department to allow internet access through leased lines and consider giving access through fibre to home optic connections on a case to case basis.
Internet services across all platforms have been banned in the state since May 3.
A division bench of Justice A Bimol and Justice A Guneshwor Sharma said, ‘In the case of Fibre To The Home (FTTH) connections, internet service can be provided by the home department on a case to case basis’ after ensuring compliance of the safeguards suggested by the committee.
The court has asked for a detailed report and will hear the case on July 25.
The 12-member expert committee had informed the court that internet service could be provided through broadband connections, either through Internet Leased Line (ILL) or FTTH by ensuring ‘static IP, banning of Wifi/Hotspots from any of the routers or system, blocking of social media websites and VPNs at the local level, removal of VPN softwares from the system and prohibiting installation of new softwares by any user and enforcing physical monitoring by the concerned authority/officials.’
The court’s directive comes after a mob torched two vehicles in Imphal West district. An exchange of fire was also reported in Imphal East district. A group of people burnt two private vehicles at Mahabali Road near the historic Kangla fort as they suspected those four-wheelers were being used for ferrying household goods to a particular ethnic community. No casualty was reported even as the police intervened to disperse the mob at the spot. Additionally, the drivers of both the vehicles managed to flee. There was an intermittent exchange of fire at Laikot near Yaingangpokpi in Imphal West district between two communities late Friday night. The incidents occurred after four people including a Manipur police commando were shot dead and several others injured in separate places in Bishnupur district. More than 100 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. (With inputs from agencies)
