Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court in a contempt case concerning the suspension of mobile internet services in Delhi during protests over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Mohan submitted an affidavit explaining the circumstances behind the decision to suspend cellular internet services in parts of the national capital. The apology comes after the Supreme Court issued notices to the Union Home Secretary, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and other officials last week.
Internet Services Suspended Near Raisina Hills
In his affidavit, Mohan said Delhi Police had requested the suspension of cellular internet services for 24 hours, citing the prevailing law-and-order situation. According to the affidavit, the authorities suspended cellular internet services within a four-kilometre radius of Raisina Hills from 10 pm on October 9 to 10 pm on October 10.
The Home Secretary clarified that other telecommunication services, including Wi-Fi and broadband connections, were not suspended. He said the decision was taken after considering the police request and the security situation in the capital.
Supreme Court Raises Concerns Over Restrictions
The issue arose after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called for large-scale protests in Delhi on October 10, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
As a precautionary measure, authorities introduced security restrictions ahead of the planned demonstrations. The Supreme Court had directed that a complete shutdown of public transport services, including metro and train services, should not be imposed.
The subsequent suspension of cellular internet services led to contempt proceedings over allegations that the action violated the court’s directions. The court issued notices to senior officials seeking their responses.
