Lok Sabha Question No. 489 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: Partial Shutdown of Internet
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: A.P. JITHENDER REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.489 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019

## PARTIAL SHUTDOWN OF INTERNET

489.   SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of partial shutdowns in the country in the past five years, where the speed of connectivity was reduced;
- (b) the details of the economic losses incurred due to such partial shutdowns; and
- (c) the number of website blockings in the past five years and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) Central  Government  has  not  issued  any  order  of  internet  shutdown  under  the provisions of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017.

Police and public order are State subjects as per the Constitution and States are responsible  for  prevention,  detection  and  investigation  of  crimes  through  their  law enforcement machinery. Concerned State Governments are empowered to issue orders for temporary suspension of internet services to maintain law and order in the State or part thereof under the provisions contained in the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017. Records related to internet shutdowns  ordered  by  State  Governments  are  not  maintained  by  Department  of Telecommunications (DoT).

(b) DoT does not assess the economic losses incurred, if any, due to such partial shutdowns.  DoT  had  received  a  joint  representation  dated  08.08.2018  from  telecom service providers, wherein  it was intimated that frequent suspension of internet services were  being  ordered  by  State  Governments.  Accordingly,  on  28.09.2018,  all  State Governments have been advised to sensitize the concerned officials/agencies against precipitate  actions  leading  to  shut  down  of  Internet  services,  and  to  ensure  that  the provisions  of    'Temporary  Suspension  of  Telecom  Services  (Public  Emergency  or Public Safety) Rules, 2017' are adhered to.

(c) As  per  Information  Technology  Act,  2000  [Section  69A]  and  Procedure  and Safeguards  for  Blocking  for  Access  of  Information  by  Public  Rules  2009  made thereunder,  the  directions  for  blocking  of  website  for  access  by  public  are  issued  by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY). As per the directions of MeitY, from  01 st January  2016  to  date,  instructions  for  blocking  of  2354  Uniform  Resource Locators  (URLs)  have  been  issued  by  DOT  to  Internet  Service  Providers  (ISPs). Further,  from  01 st January  2016  to  date,  as  per  the  direction  of  Honorable  Courts, instructions for blocking of 8459 URLs/websites have been issued. In addition, DOT has instructed ISPs to block 6631 URLs/websites of online child sexual abuse material as provided by Central Bureau of Investigation.

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