Internet and voice services were snapped on August 5, 2019, when the Central government moved to abolish Article 370 that gave special rights to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Since then broadband and 2G services have been restored in phases.
The development comes four days after the Centre told the Supreme Court that 4G access would be provided “on a trial basis in a calibrated manner in specified limited areas to assess the impact on the security situation”. Attorney General K K Venugopal told a bench of Justices N V Ramana, R Subhash Reddy and B R Gavai that the special committee — set up on the court’s orders to look into the issue of restoring internet services in J&K — had decided to allow 4G access in one district each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions after August 15.
While maintaining that the “overall security situation is still not conducive to lifting the limited restrictions on high speed internet”, the high-powered committee said 4G services could be restored in districts that are away from the international border or line of control, and had low intensity of terrorist activities.
This came after the bench had asked the Centre to clarify a reported statement of the then J&K Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu favouring the restoration of 4G in Kashmir.
