Pleas for restoring internet in Manipur to be heard in chambers: Manipur HC

The Manipur High Court on July 6 directed that it will hear a batch of petitions seeking the restoration of internet access in Manipur in chambers, just hours after the Supreme Court refrained from intervening in a separate plea challenging the internet restrictions in the State.Manipur

The Manipur High Court on July 6 directed that it will hear a batch of petitions seeking the restoration of internet access in Manipur in chambers, just hours after the Supreme Court refrained from intervening in a separate plea challenging the internet restrictions in the State. The High Court scheduled the in-chamber hearing for July 7.

While an expert panel constituted by the court asked for one more week to submit its report, representatives of internet service providers on the panel told the court it was not feasible to block virtual private networks (VPNs) in a bid to restore limited internet in the State.

A Bench of Acting Chief Justice M.V. Muralidharan and Justice Ahanthem Bimol Singh was hearing the batch of petitions seeking internet access on July 6, though the case was originally listed before a Bench of Justice A. Bimol Singh and A. Guneshwar Sharma.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refrained from intervening in a separate petition challenging the “mechanical and repeated shutdown” of internet services in Manipur, noting that a Division Bench of the Manipur High Court was already hearing the issue and had constituted an expert committee on June 27 as well.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said that the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended a new Chief Justice for the Manipur High Court and that the judge would be in the saddle very soon. Delhi High Court judge, Justice Siddharth Mridul, was proposed by the Supreme Court Collegium for appointment as Manipur Chief Justice on July 5.

Chief Justice Chandrachud said that it would not be proper for the Supreme Court to intervene when the Division Bench is actively examining the issue of the internet ban and has even formed a committee in the process.

At the last hearing before the High Court, the Division Bench had notified the formation of a 12-member expert committee to explore the possibilities of restoring internet access with a block on social media websites and a block on virtual private network (VPN) services as well. The committee had been directed to submit its report on July 6, but submitted that one more week was needed to compile a detailed report.