♤ Legislative provisions:

o Suspension of Internet services are dealt with under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973 and the Telegraph Act, 1885.

o Before 2017, Internet suspension orders were issued underSection 144 of the CrPC. But, in 2017, the central government notified the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Service) Rules under the Telegraph Act to govern suspension of Internet.

 Despite the 2017 rules, the government has often used the broad powers under Section 144 CrPC.

♤ Economic cost: India lost over $1.3 billion in internet shutdowns across the country in 2019

— making it the third-most economically affected country after Iraq and Sudan.

♤ Justifications for shutdowns: o The shutdown is based on analysis of intelligence inputs. This is a preventive measure used by the law & order administration as a last resort to address mass protests, civil unrest, so as to ensure peace. o In certain extreme situations where rumours through WhatsApp and other social media start playing a disruptive role, it may become necessary to have internet shutdowns.