In 2024, the state of Haryana imposed the most number of internet shutdowns in India followed by Manipur, according to a new report by the Software Freedom Law Centre, India.
Titled Let The Net Work 2.0, the report said the internet was snapped 12 times in Haryana last year and 11 times in Manipur – a total of 589 hours in Haryana and 1,104 hours in Manipur.
But the good news is that compared to 2023, there was a decline in the number and duration of shutdowns recorded in 2024. SFLC.in recorded 60 instances of internet shutdown and a total of 3,381 hours of limited internet access in 2024, compared to 96 internet shutdowns amounting to 6,841 hours in 2023.
From 2012, the SFLC.in tracker has recorded a total of 849 incidents of government-imposed internet shutdowns in India. The latest blockade was imposed in Pune where internet services were temporarily suspended on January 2 in wake of the 206th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon.
Internet blocked during farmers’ protests, ethnic conflict
Of the 12 internet shutdowns imposed in Haryana in 2024, 10 of them took place due to farmer protests. The first instance was on February 10 “merely because some farmers started marching towards the capital”. The report said that “such an act of preemptive internet shutdown is clearly against the procedure established by law and is liable to be invalidated” as the protest at the time was “peaceful”, and “no instances of violence or disruptions were reported”.
In Manipur, the internet was shut down 11 times in 2024 because of the ongoing ethnic conflict. In 2023, the northeastern state had witnessed a total of 36 shutdowns during which the internet remained suspended for 4,374 hours.
In its report, SLFC.in noted that “prolonged internet shutdowns exacerbated civil unrest” in Manipur “while disrupting access to essential human amenities”. Referring to an experience of a journalist, whose ability to receive and share information for work was hindered, the report said internet shutdowns “tend to escalate violence and civil unrest – instead of dissipating it.”
Uneven distribution across states
While the number of internet shutdowns in the country reduced between 2023 and 2024, more states imposed blockades last year. Fourteen states imposed internet blockades in 2024 compared to 11 in 2023. The report noted that each year, a handful of states contribute disproportionately to the overall internet shutdown.
“...In 2024, the top five states [Haryana, Manipur, Rajasthan, Punjab and Odisha] were responsible for 2,452 hours out of the total 3,381 hours, leaving only 929 hours of shutdowns imposed by the remaining states,” it said. In 2023, the top five states accounted for 77 percent of the number of shutdowns and 5,908 hours out of the total 6,841 hours of internet disruptions.
The states and union territories that did not impose a single internet shutdown in the last two years are Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Delhi and Chandigarh.
‘Limited transparency and accountability’
In the report, SFLC.in said that despite the Supreme Court “establishing the principles of necessity and proportionality in restricting internet access”, the implementation of the apex court’s norms remained “inconsistent, with limited transparency and accountability.”
Highlighting procedural deficiencies that often marred the execution of internet shutdowns, the report claimed that the Telangana government did not even publish an suspension order when it cut off mobile internet access in Jainoor from September to October last year.
“The absence of a structured oversight mechanism increases the risk of misuse, with shutdowns potentially being employed for purposes beyond legitimate security concerns,” the report said.
According to another report released in 2023, India imposed the maximum number of internet blockades globally for six years in a row.
Small teams can do great things. All it takes is a subscription. Subscribe now and power Newslaundry’s work.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.
