Internet and SMS Services Suspended in Nuh

• 15 Jul 2025

Why in News? 

The Haryana government has suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Nuh district for 24 hours as a precautionary measure to prevent unrest, maintain public peace, and curb the spread of misinformation. 

Key Points

• About the Order: 
  • The Haryana Home Department issued the suspension directive under: 
    • Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and 
    • Rule 3 of the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024. 
  • The order suspended mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/5G/CDMA/GPRS), bulk SMS services (except those related to banking and mobile recharge), and dongle-based internet access. 
  • Essential communication channels such as voice calls, broadband internet, and corporate lease lines remain operational to minimize disruption to the public. 
• Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024: 
  • Mandatory Publication: All orders suspending telecom services, including internet shutdowns, must be published with specific reasons, geographical area, and duration. 
    • The suspension duration cannot exceed 15 days. 
  • Competent Authority: The suspension order can only be issued by the "competent authority," which is the Union Home Secretary for the central government and the State Home Secretary for states. 
  • Review Mechanism: A review committee is required to meet within 5 days of an order’s issuance to review its validity. 
    • The central review committee is chaired by the cabinet secretary, while the state committee is chaired by the chief secretary. 
  • Nodal Officers: Licensed service providers must appoint a nodal officer per service area to receive and implement suspension orders. 
  • Secure Communication: Only officers ranked superintendent of police or higher can communicate these orders, in writing or via secure electronic means.

Note: In the Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India, Case 2020, the Supreme Court emphasized that government-imposed restrictions on Internet access must be temporary, limited, lawful, necessary, and proportionate.