The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a plea challenging the power of state governments to ban the Internet. A public interest litigation was filed challenging state governments’ powers, stating that it could not suspend Internet services, but it can restrict Internet access. The bench, comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and R Bhanumathi, however said that banning the Internet is sometimes necessary to maintain law and order.

The plea was filed citing the example of Gujarat banning the Internet for around 10 days during the Patidar agitation. It has similarly also been banned temporarily in other states, including Jammu and Kashmir.