A parliamentary committee on information technology on Friday dropped the matter of suspension of high-speed internet services in Jammu and Kashmir from its agenda, PTI reported.
As per the updated agenda that the Lok Sabha Secretariat put out on Friday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology, headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, will discuss suspension of telecommunications and internet services in Delhi and Bihar. The discussion will be held on September 1.
However, the summons issued to Facebook based on allegations that the social media giant had chosen to ignore hate speech made by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on its platform, are still on the agenda. Facebook representatives have been called to reply before the panel on September 2.
The BJP had been upset about the Tharoor-led panel putting internet restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir on the agenda. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting him to remove Tharoor from the post of the chairperson of the panel. According to Dubey, the matter cannot be discussed as it is sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
On August 25, Birla had asked chairperson of all parliamentary committees to ensure that rules were strictly followed while holding meetings. He said that as per convention, the committees avoid taking up matters that are sub-judice.
“The committees should give due consideration to Rule 270 and other necessary rules and directions while selecting subjects for examination,” Birla had said, according to the Hindustan Times. “In addition, I would like to point out that as per convention, the committees do not take those subjects for examination where the issue is pending in the courts.” Rule 270 states that “if any question arises whether the evidence of a person or the production of a document is relevant for the purposes of the Committee, the question shall be referred to the Speaker whose decision shall be final”.
Internet services were shut down in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 last year, when the Centre scrapped the special status of the erstwhile state under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, and imposed a curfew. 2G internet services were resumed late last year. On August 11 this year, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it would restart 4G internet services in the Union Territory in a staggered manner after August 15. On August 16, the Jammu and Kashmir administration restored 4G internet in Udhampur and Ganderbal districts on a trial basis till September 8.
“We should still like to hear the facts from the government [about internet services in Jammu and Kashmir], even if we don’t have a discussion on Jammu and Kashmir,” an unidentified panel member told the Hindustan Times. “A statement has been allowed in the past. It should not be against the rules.”
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