State can ban internet for security, says Supreme Court

New Delhi: During an agitation, to maintain law and order a State government can ban mobile internet, the Supreme Court said on Thursday.

Upholding a Gujarat High Court giving its nod to the Gujarat government’s order banning internet during quota agitation by Hardik Patel, a Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices A.K. Sikri and Ms. R. Banumathi said “ban is a convenient way and sometimes necessary to maintain law and order situation.”

Dismissing an appeal filed by telecom operators from Gujarat, the Bench said “It (mobile internet) can be misused during riot like situation and the ban may be necessary.”

Ban is a convenient way and sometimes necessary to maintain law and order situation, says a Bench of Chief Justice.