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Mobile internet services in Assam to be restored on Friday : Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: The Assam government on Thursday said mobile internet services in the state will be restored from Friday though the Gauhati High Court had ordered restoration of the service by 5 pm today.

“Tomorrow,” Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told in a reply to an SMS sent to him on Thursday seeking to know when mobile internet services are likely to be resumed.

He, however, did not specify the time.

Broadband services have already resumed in Assam.

Gauhati High Court had earlier during the day directed the Assam government to restore mobile internet services at 5 pm on Thursday.

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.

Mobile and broadband internet services were suspended on the evening of December 11 after incidents of violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Act.

The court observed that it is open to the state authorities taking steps to curb dissemination of “explosive messages and video” on various social media platforms which may have a tendency to incite violence and destruction affecting public safety.

Sarma had said on Tuesday that the government and security agencies were reviewing the prevailing law and order situation daily and the decision to lift the ban on mobile internet would be taken on the basis of intelligence feedback.

Source: Economic Times