“The contribution of internet for the well-being of citizens has to be balanced with social media platforms being misused by anti-social elements requiring temporary internet shutdowns, as per the rules based on the assessment by Local (State/UT Government) Authorities,” says the Indian government when Parliament members asked whether suspension of telecom services goes against Digital India schemes. On March 29, 2023, in view of the recent internet suspensions in India, members of Parliament asked the Ministry of Communications and the IT Ministry about the following: Data on internet suspensions in India in the last five and nine years. The IT Ministry was asked for the reasons for such shutdowns. Whether or not the authorities are following the Supreme Court’s (SC) guidelines on internet suspensions laid out in Anuradha Bhasin v Union of India. Whether or not the government has taken cognizance of the economic impact caused by suspension of telecom services and the ways in which it affects individual privacy. Why it matters: By now, India is known as the internet shutdown capital of the world, as per data provided by digital rights organizations like Access Now and Software Freedom Law Center. Also, Parliament members as well as Courts are scrutinizing the frequency and manner in which telecom services are being suspended for reasons ranging from apprehensions of a law and order situation to cheating in exams. Lack of official data also means that there is not enough clarity on the actual number of shutdowns, its economic cost and impact…
