As Punjab farmer groups prepared for this week’s protest march to Delhi, the Union government invoked its powers under a British-era law to suspend mobile Internet in certain districts of the State last week, citing a public emergency and public safety. This is the first time the Union government has issued such orders to block the Internet, outside of the national capital.
Given that law and order is a State subject, the more usual procedure is for a State government to issue such orders, as was done in neighbouring Haryana, which is governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Punjab, however, is ruled by the Aam Aadmi Party.
In a departure from norms, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued two orders, on February 10 and February 12, under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. The orders, issued following a reference by the Intelligence Bureau, resulted in the Internet being suspended within the jurisdiction of 20 police stations in seven districts of Punjab — Patiala, SAS Nagar, Bathinda, Sri Mukhtsar Sahib, Mansa, Sangrur, and Fatehgarh Sahib — till February 16.
