The Union Communications ministry has said that “temporary suspension of telecom services” cannot be put into effect for more than 15 days.
The ministry took the decision while issuing an order amending the “Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety Rules 2017).
“The suspension order issued by the competent authority under sub rule (1) shall not be in operation for more than 15 days,” reads the order.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah while reacting to the order said, “It should have happened last year so that J-K wouldn’t have been without telecom services for months.”
Taking to Twitter handle, Mr. Omar wrote: “Too bad they didn’t think about this last year. J-K wouldn’t have been without telecom services for months.”
After 5 August , 2019, when the Government of India scrapped special Constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir, a complete communication gag was enforced for several weeks. This did not only lead to suspension of mobile phone services but even landline services which hit the day-to-day life.
