The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory and the Central government, giving them a week to respond to a petition seeking restoration of 4G internet services in the territory. The petition first became available on LiveLaw. Filed by the Foundation for Media Professionals on March 29, the petition cited difficulties in access to online classes and accurate information, in delivery of healthcare in the territory, and the inability to "work from home" due to slow internet speeds, in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant 21-day nationwide lockdown. The petition says that restricting speeds to 2G violates fundamental rights to equality and freedom, including the right to elementary education, and right to free speech. Restricting internet to 2G speeds is "completely unreasonable" in a pandemic and lockdown condition, the petition said. It is a disproportionate restriction on fundamental rights, it added. Mobile internet services were restored in the union territory at 2G speeds last month after a 7-month internet blackout. Even this came after multiple whitelists allowing a limited number of websites — up to 1,600 per the last whitelist — were issued. Prepaid connections are allowed, but will require the kind of KYC verification usually done for postpaid connections. The petition, to which the Jammu & Kashmir administration and the Union Home Ministry are party, was heard today by a 3-judge bench of Justice NV Ramana, Justice R Subhash Reddy, and Justice BR Gavai. The first case of COVID-19 in Jammu & Kashmir was reported on March 9, and…
