Let The Net Work 2.0: Internet Shutdowns in India 2023-2024

FOCUS

Since 2012, the Software Freedom Law Centre, New Delhi (SFLC.in) has been monitoring and recording incidents of internet shutdown in the country. This report, published in 2025, presents an account of their findings and recommendations for the period between January 2023 to December 2024. 

The report defines an internet shutdown as a government-initiated, intentional disruption of internet access within a specific region for a designated time. India has consistently ranked among the top countries for the highest number of such shutdowns. Authorities in India have imposed internet blackouts for security concerns and the maintenance of law and order. However, the lack of adequate legislative frameworks and a proper definition of the limits of executive power with regard to the governance of digital spaces has resulted in infringements on civil liberties and undermining of constitutional rights, the report notes.

The report traces the legal evolution of internet regulation in India from the first recorded shutdown in 2010 under Section 144 in Jammu and Kashmir to the ‘Temporary Suspension of Telecommunication Services Rules’ of 2024. It also reviews major judicial interventions and landmark cases such as Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India, Ghulam Nabi Azad v. Union of India, Faheema Shirin v. State of Kerala, and Ashlesh Biradar v. State of West Bengal. The report categorises cases of internet shutdowns by cause, duration, and type – preventive (to avert potential unrest) or reactive (in response to active disturbances). It also provides a comparative analysis of data from the top five states most affected in 2023 and 2024.

This 56-page document has been divided into 4 chapters: Internet Shutdowns (Chapter 1); Impact Assessment of Internet Shutdowns (Chapter 2); Case in Point: Analysing the major Internet Shutdowns in India during 2023-2024 (Chapter 3); and Judicial Interventions against Internet Shutdowns (Chapter 4). 

    FACTOIDS

  1. Governments usually impose Internet Shutdowns in conflict-prone areas as a preventative measure to deter violence and unrest through the spread of misinformation and other disturbances. However, sweeping internet shutdowns severely restrict access to information, suppress freedom of expression, and disrupt essential services.

  2. As of December 31, 2024, SFLC.in‘s internet shutdowns tracker has reported 847 instances of Internet Shutdowns since 2012.

  3. Before 2017, internet shutdowns in India were primarily imposed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973 – a general provision designed to address threats to public order or safety during British rule in India under the Police Act of 1861. The invocation of Section 144 for internet shutdowns has faced criticism due to its vague and overly broad application, which enables District Magistrates to issue wide-ranging orders without adequate procedural checks. 

  4. Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, were brought into force in 2017 after the Indian Judiciary intervened in the matter of uncontrolled and arbitrary use of Section 144 of CrPC. Under these guidelines, the power to suspend telecom services rests solely with the Union Home Secretary or the State Home Secretary. In exceptional or emergency cases, a Joint Secretary-level officer may issue the order, but it must receive formal approval from the competent authority within 24 hours. There are, however, no time limits on shutdowns. 

  5. The states with the most number of internet shutdowns in 2024 are Haryana (12 shutdowns), Manipur (11 shutdowns), Rajasthan (6 shutdowns), Punjab (5 shutdown) and Odisha (4 shutdowns). For 2023, the states with the highest number of shutdowns were Manipur (36 shutdowns), Haryana (11 shutdowns), Jammu and Kashmir (13 shutdowns).

  6. In 2023, the tracker documented 96 government-enforced internet shutdowns, resulting in 6,841 hours of disruption. In comparison, 2024 experienced a decrease in both frequency and duration, with 60 shutdowns totalling 3,381 hours of restricted access. 

  7. In 2023, the top five states with the highest number of shutdowns accounted for 5,908 hours out of the total 6,841 hours of internet disruptions. In 2024, the top five states were responsible for 2,452 hours out of the total 3,381 hours, leaving only 929 hours of shutdowns imposed by the remaining states. 

  8. In 2023, the majority of internet shutdowns were preventive (82 out of total), imposed before any incident occurred, while only 14 were reactive and issued after the event occurred. In 2024, this trend shifted significantly — preventive shutdowns dropped to 33, while reactive shutdowns increased to 27 cases. 

  9. The report notes that, many shutdown orders, like those from Manipur in November 2023, lack specific reasoning and rely on vague, repetitive claims about misuse of social media, failing to meet legal and judicial standards. 


    Focus and Factoids by Bidisha Boral.

AUTHOR

Software Freedom Law Centre India, New Delhi

COPYRIGHT

Software Freedom Law Centre India, New Delhi

PUBLICATION DATE

2025

TAGS

#telecommunication #internet-shutdown #internet-services

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