Delhi internet shutdown did not come via right channel: Digital right activists

NEW DELHI: Digital rights activists, who accessed and studied the order suspending internet in several areas in Delhi on Thursday, point out that it was not issued from the “right channels” and, therefore, was “illegal”.

Technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary said that internet can be suspended in India in the case of public emergency or public safety under the rules formed by the ministry of information technology under Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017.

“It can only be ordered by competent authority like Union home secretary or state home secretary, but this order was not issued by them,” said Choudhary of SFLC, an NGO that works to strengthen digital rights. SFLC also runs an online tracker that documents cases of internet shutdowns in the country.

The document ordering the shutdown, labelled as “top secret/classified” circulated on Twitter on Thursday. The order was signed by PS Khushwah, deputy commissioner, special cell, New Delhi.