📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Slyronit
Politics
Mobile Internet Shut Down in Central Delhi Ahead of Anti‑EC Protest Tonight
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 10 Oct 2026, 12:01 AM
👁 16
Authorities will suspend mobile internet services across central Delhi from tonight as part of an anti‑Election Commission demonstration.
The Delhi administration announced that mobile internet connectivity will be switched off in the central districts of the capital starting this evening. The decision comes in response to a planned anti‑Election Commission (EC) rally that is expected to draw large crowds and potentially disrupt public order.
Organisers of the protest have called for the shutdown, arguing that it will prevent the spread of misinformation and protect the safety of participants. The demonstration is aimed at voicing dissent against recent EC directives that have been criticised by several political groups.
Telecom operators have been instructed to implement the blackout from 7 p.m. and will restore services once the authorities deem the situation stable. The move has sparked mixed reactions, with some citizens expressing concern over the impact on emergency communications, while others view it as a necessary precaution.
Legal experts note that temporary internet restrictions are permissible under Indian law during law‑and‑order situations, provided they are proportionate and time‑bound. The administration has pledged to keep the suspension as brief as possible.
Organisers of the protest have called for the shutdown, arguing that it will prevent the spread of misinformation and protect the safety of participants. The demonstration is aimed at voicing dissent against recent EC directives that have been criticised by several political groups.
Telecom operators have been instructed to implement the blackout from 7 p.m. and will restore services once the authorities deem the situation stable. The move has sparked mixed reactions, with some citizens expressing concern over the impact on emergency communications, while others view it as a necessary precaution.
Legal experts note that temporary internet restrictions are permissible under Indian law during law‑and‑order situations, provided they are proportionate and time‑bound. The administration has pledged to keep the suspension as brief as possible.