4G to return in J&K after Aug 15 on trial basis: Centre to SC

Restrictions on 4G mobile internet will be relaxed in one district each of Jammu and Kashmir divisions of India’s youngest Union Territory (UT) after August 15 on a trial basis, the central government told the Supreme Court on Tuesday, stopping short of a blanket removal of restrictions across the region because of security concerns.

The decision was arrived at on the recommendations made by a special committee constituted on the top court’s May 11 directive to the Centre to review restrictions on high-speed mobile internet in J&K, the government’s senior-most law officer, attorney general KK Venugopal, informed a three-judge bench headed by justice NV Ramana.

“Access to high speed internet could be provided on a trial basis in a calibrated manner in specified limited areas to assess the impact on the security scenario; the area should have low intensity of terrorist activities.