New Delhi, September 9
The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging internet shutdown during competitive examinations to prevent cheating.
Curtail adjournments: Justice Chandrachud
Fed up with frequent adjournments sought by advocates, Justice DY Chandrachud on Friday said the court would make efforts to change its image as a ‘tareekh pe tareekh’ court”People will have to argue matters. This is the highest court of the land. We need to have a certain dignity of the institution also,” Justice Chandrachud noted
Acting on a petition filed by Software Freedom Law Centre, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to spell out its stand after petitioner’s advocate Vrinda Grover highlighted the problems faced by people due to internet shutdowns in Rajasthan and Assam imposed to prevent cheating in public examinations.
“We want to know what exactly the protocol is even when it is any examination,” the Bench said. The petitioner had not made the Centre a party to the case, but given the fact that communications was a subject in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule, the Bench chose to issue notice to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The petitioner has sought setting aside of the blanket order issued by the Rajasthan Government on September 2, 2017, delegating the power to suspend internet services to divisional commissioners of the state.