RANCHI: During an emergency hearing, the Jharkhand High Court on Sunday ordered immediate restoration of internet services all over the state, which was withdrawn for conducting the JSSC CGL (Combined Graduate Level) competitive examinations on September 21 and 22.
While hearing a PIL seeking immediate restoration of internet services in the state, the division bench of Justice Ananda Sen and Justice Anubha Rawat Chaudhary directed the state government that prior approval from Jharkhand High Court will be required before disrupting the internet services.
“Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government to restore the internet services immediately which was disrupted for over 6 hours on Saturday and Sunday for conducting the JSSC (CGL) examination in Jharkhand," said Advocate Dheeraj Kumar.
The court also directed the state government that prior orders from the Jharkhand High Court will be required for disrupting the internet services in future, he added.
Disrupting internet services for conducting examination is not appropriate al all, the order said.
According to Kumar, the court had also summoned State Home Secretary before it, asking to submit the file in which the order was passed to withdraw internet services for conducting the examination. The state government has been asked to file a reply in this regard within six weeks, he said.
Earlier, the Court had sought a reply from the state government on its decision to disrupt the Internet services across the state for more than six hours for conducting the examinations on September 21 and 22.
The court had also asked the government about its policy for such a shutdown. It also asked if such a decision would be in force in case of all exams.
Notably, the government decision came after repeated cases of paper leaks. The home department ordered the suspension of internet from 8 am to 1:30 pm.
Meanwhile, State BJP president Babulal Marandi attacked the state government for shutting down the internet across the state, saying, “Hemant Government is scared of the BJP's statewide Parivartan Yatra. The internet was shut down to stop the promotion of the Yatra on social media. This government is scared and in panic.”
On the pretext of preventing malpractice in the exam, the Hemant government has shut down the internet across the state, he said.