However, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on March 4 has deecided to remove ban imposed in the union territory on social media sites after the abrogation of Article 370 in August of last year. In this regard, a circular was issued to disseminate information to people that they will now be allowed unrestricted internet access with 2G speed.
However, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has blocked the Virtual Private Network (VPNs) after receiving information that locals were using VPNs to access banned social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp among others.
The Supreme Court of India, in January of this year, had declared access to internet a fundamental right. A bench of the country's highest court said that a government cannot refrain the citizens of fundamental rights except under certain conditions. This landmark ruling was aligned with a recommendation by the United Nations that every country should make access to internet a fundamental right.
On August 5 of last year, both houses of the Indian parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill. The bill proposed the bifurcation of the state into two union territories, namely Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir.