Supreme Court of India on Monday constituted a high powered committee to look into the issue of 4G internet in Jammu and Kashmir. The court refrained from pronouncing any verdict on the issue.
The Court was listening to the petitions that stated that the absence of 4G internet in Jammu and Kashmir was hampering the healthcare services besides going against the right to education as it was not possible to hold online classes because of absence of 4G internet.
The high powered committee formed by the SC will be headed by the home secretary, Union government to explore the possibilities of restoration of 4G internet.
The UT administration had underlined security related issues for not restoring the high speed internet services in J&K that were revoked on August 5 last year.
Petitions were then submitted with the SC expressing that the slow web speed hampered the Right to Education and other rights of the people of the UT.
A bench constituting Justice NV Ramana, R Subhash Reddy and BR Gavai on Monday decided that a committee must be formed to deliberate on the issue of high speed internet in the UT.
The J&K government on April 30 had said in the Supreme Court that high speed internet was not a right and that could be snapped if there was a security threat to the sovereignty of the country.
Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi who was contesting on behalf of Foundation for Media Professionals expressed in the court that the slow internet was preventing the Right to Healthcare. It was expressed that the moderate speed of web was not permitting medical specialists to contact the individuals during this time when Coronavirus was spreading fast.
However high powered committee headed home secretary, Union government has been asked to examine the issue raised by the petitioners in the case.
