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Haryana and Manipur top 2024 internet shutdowns in India

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In 2024, Haryana and Manipur experienced the highest number of internet shutdowns in India due to distinct socio-political issues. Haryana faced disruptions from farmer protests, and Manipur grappled with the aftermath of ethnic violence that began in 2023. Authorities in Haryana justified these shutdowns for law and order reasons, while Manipur endured prolonged blackouts, making it one of the most affected states.

The year saw disruptions in other regions such as Ladakh, Telangana, Assam, and West Bengal, often for extended periods, with no clear accountability or transparency in many cases. In some instances, judicial interventions, like that in Jharkhand, underscore the role of the judiciary, the third pillar of democracy, in maintaining internet freedom, forcing the government to reconsider blanket internet bans.

As per Software Freedom Law Center’s internet shutdown tracker, India witnessed about 60 internet shutdowns in 2024, marking the lowest number in eight years. Although the number represents a sharp drop from the 96 shutdowns recorded in 2023, the trend continues to raise critical questions about digital rights, transparency, and proportionality in governance.

The Supreme Court of India declared the right to access the Internet a basic fundamental right in the Sabu Matthew George v Union of India case in 2018.

In 2019, in Faheema Shirin v the State of Kerala, the Kerala High Court declared the right to access the internet a fundamental right under Article 21. This right was part of the right to privacy and education.

Related to the above, in Anuradha Bhasin v Union of India case of 2020, the Supreme Court of India declared that suspending the internet indefinitely is impermissible under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Service) Rules, 2017.


2024 internet shutdowns in India: A summary

Photo: Najmi Arif / Shutterstock.com
Photo: Najmi Arif / Shutterstock.com

While the government gave several rationales behind these shutdowns — ranging from public safety during exams to managing communal tensions — often contrasts with the societal costs they impose.

Haryana and Punjab (Farmer agitation)

In 2024, Haryana experienced several internet shutdowns due to farmer agitations. Here are some notable instances:

  • February 11-13: The Government of Haryana imposed an internet shutdown on February 11 in seven districts bordering Delhi (Kurukshetra, Ambala, Katihal, Jind, Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad). This action coincides with the call to agitation by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other farmer unions.
  • February 10–16: Punjab imposed an internet shutdown in seven districts (Patiala, SAS Nagar, Bathinda, Sri Mukhtsar Sahib, Mansa, Sangrur, and Fatehgarh Sahib).
  • February 16–17: Punjab extended the shutdown in the same districts.
  • February 19–23: Haryana extended internet shutdown in the same seven districts.
  • February 27–29: Haryana imposed an internet shutdown in Ambala district.
  • February 28–March 1: Punjab imposed an internet shutdown in Sangrur and Patiala districts.
  • March 2–5, 2024: Punjab extended the shutdown in Sangrur and Patiala districts.
  • August 7-8: The district administration of Sirsa ordered internet suspension due to the death of a religious leader.
  • December 6-9: This time, internet shutdown was ordered in the Shambhu border and 11 villages of Ambala: Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Lhars, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Saddopur, Sultanpur, and Kakru village.
  • December 14-17: Internet services were suspended in 12 villages of Ambala, Haryana: Dangdehri, Lohgarh, Manakpur, Dadiyana, Bari Ghel, Lhars, Kalu Majra, Devi Nagar, Saddopur, Sultanpur, and Kakru village.

During internet shutdowns, the district administration suspended internet access, and the Government of India restricted X and Instagram accounts belonging to farmer leaders, activists, and journalists.

Manipur

Manipur has been facing the burnt of internet shutdowns since 2023. Manipur experienced one of the longest internet blackouts in India, lasting 142 days initially and punctuated by frequent suspensions afterwards.

  • April 28, 2023: Five-day internet suspension in Churachandpur amidst clashes.
  • May 3–4, 2023: Mobile internet shutdown in eight districts; broadband services later suspended statewide.
  • June 20–September 23, 2023: Statewide internet ban, with gradual relaxation through broadband and whitelisting services starting in July.
  • September 26–December 3, 2023: Mobile internet was repeatedly suspended in Manipur, with extensions every 5–15 days in response to violence and law enforcement concerns.
  • September 10: The administration banned mobile internet, broadband, and VPNs for five days.
  • November 16, 2024: The Manipur government ordered a two-day internet suspension in seven districts — Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur.
  • November 18: The suspension was extended for an additional 48 hours.
  • November 20: Authorities prolonged the internet shutdown for another 72 hours.
  • November 24: The shutdown was extended until December 3, affecting nine districts
  • December 5-7: The shutdown was extended again till December 7.

In Manipur, too, the state government justified the shutdowns as necessary to prevent the dissemination of inflammatory content, including hate speech and misinformation. Manipur High Court directed the government to explore restoring connectivity while ensuring public safety. The Supreme Court also emphasise the need for balanced measures, highlighting the significant impact on democratic discourse and reporting.

Telangana

On November 11, a public hearing in Vikarabad district regarding a proposed pharmaceutical plant turned volatile. A crowd of 150-200 agitated individuals confronted district officials, leading to fears of escalating tensions. The district administration imposed an internet shutdown in Dudyala, Kodangal, and Bomraspet Mandal in Vikarabad district on November 12 to prevent the spread of misinformation and manage the situation.

On September 5, internet services were suspended for 24 hours in Jainoor village in Telangana following a strike.

Odisha

Bhadrak and Dhamnaghar district in Odisha witnessed a 48-hour internet suspension on September 28 due to communal tensions. The blackout aimed to control the dissemination of inflammatory content and restore peace in the region.

On June 18, authorities in Balasore imposed an internet ban to prevent fake and inflammatory messages.

Assam

In Assam, the state government resorted to internet shutdowns during competitive examinations to curb cheating. On September 15, services were suspended during Grade III exams, and a seven-hour blackout was imposed on October 27 for Grade IV examinations.

Jharkhand

Internet services were suspended across Jharkhand for government examinations on September 21-22. However, this decision faced backlash when the High Court intervened, ordering the government to restore connectivity. The court criticised the sweeping nature of the shutdown and emphasised the need for proportional measures.

Uttar Pradesh

The northern state of Uttar Pradesh experienced internet shutdowns in response to communal tensions in Bahraich and Sambhal.

  • November 24: The authorities implemented a 24-hour internet shutdown in Sambhal.
  • October 13-17: In October, the government of Uttar Pradesh suspended the internet in Bahraich for four days after communal clashes.

Ladakh

In the Leh district of Ladakh, internet services were suspended from April 6-7 during the Pashmina March, a protest highlighting concerns over the declining Pashmia industry.

Kashmir

Pulwama district in Kashmir experienced a four-day internet suspension starting November 8. Authorities did not provide specific reasons, further fueling debates about the lack of transparency in such decisions.

West Bengal

Murshidabad district faced an internet blackout on November 17 following communal clashes — the measure aimed to curb the spread of inflammatory content and restore peace in the area.

West Bengal also saw another 94-day internet suspension in Dhupguri from May 18 to August 19.

Here are some other instances of internet shutdowns in India in 2024:

  • October 15-18: Tripura authorities suspended internet and SMS in North Tripura district amid communal tensions.
  • August 20-21: Authorities of Thane district imposed a 24-hour internet services shutdown in Badlapur.
  • August 16-19: Udaipur experienced a shutdown for 24 hours after a stabbing incident happened in a school.
  • July 21-22: Nuh authorities suspended the internet for a 24-hour following a communal incident.
  • July 12-13: Dhalai district in Tripura faced internet a 24-hour internet suspension.
  • May 20-25: The Internet was suspended in Saran district in Bihar following clashes between political parties.
  • February 10: The Internet was suspended in Sandeshkhali and North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
  • February 7: Local authorities in Poonch suspended the internet from 00:10 to 23:30 local time to prevent the misuse of these services by anti-national/miscreants.
  • January 7: Rajasthan saw internet suspension in several districts due to the Rajasthan Public Service Commission examination.

While the total number of internet shutdowns decreased in 2024, this issue remains contentious in the world’s largest democracy. In 2023, Manipur experienced its longest internet shutdown, lasting 200 days from April 27 to October 18. Although significant, this shutdown is still much shorter than the 552-day suspension in Kashmir, which lasted from August 4, 2019, to February 6, 2021.

The longest internet suspension in 2024 occurred in Dhupguri, West Bengal, lasting for 94 days.

Source: Internet Shutdowns

Most internet shutdowns (33) are preventive, and about 27 are reactive. The former is due to prevent the law and order breakdown, while the latter is because violence has happened and the authorities want to prevent fake and misleading information.

Source: Internet Shutdowns

With respect to the duration, most of the internet shutdowns (27) were between a day to three days, followed by 21 shutdowns under 24 hours and 12 instances where the shutdowns were greater than 72 hours.


Economical impact of internet shutdowns

As digital devices and the internet seep through society, the economic cost of the internet shutdown will mount. As per a report by CloudZero, a one-hour internet shutdown in India costs $59,626,768, which increases to $1,431,042,434 for a full-day outage.

A recent report by Top10VPN estimates that the government-enforced internet shutdowns cost the world economy $7.69 billion, with Pakistan being the most affected nation with a $1.62 billion impact. The report estimates that the total cost of internet shutdowns in India in 2024 was $322.9 million, affecting 67.7 million people.

With the increasing internet usage for online banking for amount transfers, e-commerce, online education, telemedicine, and the tech industry, the internet shutdown even for a day is quite expensive for the country.

As India is a developing country with several marginalised communities, sudden internet shutdowns have a massive impact on their well-being. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, 96% of all subscribers in India rely on mobile connectivity to access the internet. In contrast, the fixed internet access subscribers are mostly concentrated in urban areas.

Poor people find it difficult to withdraw money from banks or buy subsidised food due to internet shutdowns. | Image by Prasanta Sahoo from Pixabay

As most shutdowns target mobile internet access, rural areas are particularly affected. A report by Human Rights Watch highlights this fact. The report shows how the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) workers find it difficult to withdraw money when the internet is suspended. It is also important to note that more than 50% of the NREGA workers are women.

Furthermore, poor people find it hard to get subsidised food grains under the public food distribution systems as the government has implemented an internet-linked machine to check biometrics to check food leakages. The machine requires an internet connection to work, and an outage inhibits its functioning.

The internet is also an essential tool for disaster management for warning and evacuation routes. Internet shutdown can affect disaster mitigation efforts, as seen in Myanmar during Cyclone Mocha in 2023.

The state and central government in India have shut down the internet to stop the spreading of fake and inflammatory news and gossip. However, as SLFC told The Times of India, “It is pertinent to note that there is no corroborating evidence to support that an internet shutdown actually helps in curtailing misinformation. However, the likelihood of the same catalysing the spread of misinformation is far more in the case of an internet shutdown.”

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Kumar Hemant

Kumar Hemant

Deputy Editor at Candid.Technology. Hemant writes at the intersection of tech and culture and has a keen interest in science, social issues and international relations. You can contact him here: kumarhemant@pm.me

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