Internet Ban in Hooghly to Be Lifted on Sunday, Bengal Govt Tells HC

The West Bengal government on Saturday informed the Calcutta High Court that an order of suspension of internet services in parts of Hooghly district will be lifted on Sunday.

Hearing three petitions challenging the suspension of internet services in the area, a division bench comprising

Chief Justice T B N Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee directed the state to file two affidavits on the next date of hearing.

While one will pertain to jurisdiction of the district magistrate to pass the suspension order, the other will be

related to the justifiability of the suspension order.

The petitions will be heard again on May 22. The three writ petitions challenged an order issued by the Hooghly district magistrate on May 12, suspending internet service in certain parts of the district, including Chandannagar to stop the proliferation of fake videos and other such content.

Lawyers for the petitioners assailed the suspension order on various grounds, including lack of jurisdiction and

that there was no justification for issuing such an order and that it was disproportional to the situation prevailing in the area concerned.

Appearing for the state, Advocate General Kishore Dutta submitted that the order suspending internet services in

parts of the district will be lifted on Sunday. He also challenged the maintainability of the writ petitions claiming lack of locus standi on the part of the petitioners.

Dutta referred to provisions of The Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (due to Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017 and said that the suspension order has been passed after complying with the relevant rules. The Advocate General further submitted that such suspension order can also be passed by the appropriate authority in exercise of power under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Clashes had erupted in the Telinipara area of the district on May 10 after members of a community were allegedly

taunted and addressed as "corona" by a handful of people belonging to another group.

Bombs were hurled and shops ransacked in Telinipara and its adjoining Chandannagar and Sreerampore areas, following which police lathicharged the trouble-mongers to bring the situation under control. At least 129 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC and suspended internet service in several

areas of the district on May 12. On Friday, the prohibitory orders imposed in the clash-hit areas of Telinipara, Chandannagar and Sreerampore were withdrawn after the situation improved there. Internet services have also been restored in some parts.