The Manipur government on Sunday lifted the ban on mobile internet from most parts of the state till December 18.
Mobile internet services will, however, remain suspended within a 2-kilometre periphery of the district boundaries of Chandel and Kakching, Churachandpur and Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Kakching, Kangpokpi and Imphal West, Kangpokpi and Imphal East, Kangpokpi and Thoubal and Tengnoupal and Kakching.
Mobile internet was suspended in Manipur after ethnic clashes broke out between the Meitei and Kuki communities in early May. Over 200 persons have killed since the conflict broke out and nearly 60,000 have been forced to flee their homes.
The mobile internet ban had been lifted on September 23 but was reimposed on September 26.
On Friday, the Manipur High Court had told the state government that it could not continue with its ban on mobile internet services as it violated the right to free speech under Article 21 of the Constitution, reported LiveLaw.
“We are permitting you to impose reasonable restrictions in accordance with law but you can’t obliterate the right,” the bench noted. “Except for a few areas [Manipur] is by and large peaceful. Why should the services not be restored? Why does the State have to say that the situation is not normal?”
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