The Assam government has decided to restore mobile internet services in the state from Friday.
Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday told a section of media that mobile internet services in the state will be resumed from Friday.
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The Gauhati High Court earlier in the day directed the government to restore mobile Internet services across the state by 5 pm on Thursday.
Despite the high court order, the government, however, did not issue any order to the service providers to restore mobile data services in the state.
A division bench of justices Manojit Bhuyan and Saumitra Saikia gave the direction after hearing four PILs filed by journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, advocates Bonoshri Gogoi, Randeep Sharma and Debakanta Doley.
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Mobile and broadband internet services were suspended on the evening of December 11 after violent protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) irrupted in the state.
The division bench said in its directive that while mobile Internet services should be restored, the state government was free to take steps towards curbing dissemination of “explosive messages and videos” on social media platforms that may incite further violence.
While senior advocates Arup Borbora, KK Mahanta, UK Nair and Bimal Chetry appeared for the petitioners, the state and central governments were represented by specially engaged counsel Debajit Saikia and assistant solicitor general SC Keyal respectively.
Sources said although the government in view of the court order decided to restore mobile internet service, it is likely to file a review petition in the high court seeking review of the court order on internet suspension.