The Jharkhand High Court has ordered the immediate restoration of Internet services nationwide. This follows the suspension of services by the Hemant Soren government for the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination on September 21 and 22. Principal Secretary of the Jharkhand Home Department Vandana Dadel ordered on September 20 to suspend Internet services statewide from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on both exam days.
The aim was to prevent potential malpractice, including spreading rumors and leaking exam papers. Rajendra Krishna, Chairperson of the Jharkhand State Bar Council, wrote to Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad about the issue, which was then turned into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
Justices Ananda Sen and Anubha Rawat Choudhary heard the case. During the hearing, Mr. Krishna pointed out the suspension’s negative impact on commercial activities, such as banking and transport services.
The High Court ordered the government to restore Internet services by 2 p.m. on September 22. It also banned any future suspension of services without the court’s permission until the writ petition is resolved. Ms.
Dadel was called to appear before the court with the complete file on the emergency that led to the shutdown.
Court orders internet service restoration
She said the decision was based on intelligence inputs received around midnight on September 21-22.
However, the court found discrepancies in the official’s statement and questioned the state’s actions. The next hearing in this case is set for November 14, 2024. The court stressed that suspending Internet services should not happen without judicial approval, as it dramatically impacts daily life and commercial operations.
The Bench noted that not following this directive might amount to criminal contempt. On Saturday, the Jharkhand High Court strongly disapproved of the state government’s decision to impose a total internet shutdown during the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) exam. The court called the move a “fraud played on this court.”
The court’s remarks followed a plea challenging the government’s decision to shut down internet services across the state during the job test.
The shutdown reportedly caused significant inconvenience to the general public and disrupted essential services. “Such actions are detrimental to the public interest and can be considered an abuse of power,” the court stated. “This measure, ostensibly taken to prevent cheating during the exam, demonstrates a lack of foresight and disregard for the rights of the citizens.”
Candidates arriving for the JSSC exam in Ranchi had to go through enhanced security checks.
Strict measures were put in place to prevent malpractice during the examination process. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized the suspension of mobile internet services in Jharkhand, which claims it’s an attempt by the state government to hide its failures. The shutdown began at 8 a.m. and will continue until 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
According to a BJP leader, the Jharkhand government has taken this measure to prevent unfair means during examinations, highlighting its inability to ensure fair conduct using other methods.
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