Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to inform it by Thursday about the decision of a review committee over restrictions imposed on internet connectivity at some places in the state during the ongoing Madhyamik examination between March 7 to 16 .
A bench, comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, during the hearing directed the State government to file an affidavit containing the relevant documents relied upon at 10.30 am on March 10.
In a bid to stop cheating, it had been directed to temporarily suspend internet services on the days of class 10 state board examination starting from Monday in Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Birbhum, and Darjeeling. Phone calls and SMS services will not be curbed anywhere.
The West Bengal Home Department, in an order issued on March 3, had stopped transmission of internet data-related messages from 11 am to 3.15 pm on certain dates starting March 7 in specified blocks and police station areas, when the 'Madhyamik' examination commenced.
Though the order did not specifically mention 'Madhyamik' examination, the area-specific clamp on the transmission of texts, images and videos will be in force from 11 am to 3:15 pm on March 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 — the time and dates of the class 10 board exam.
The order had said intelligence reports have been received that internet transmission and voice over internet telephony may be used for "unlawful activities in certain areas over the next few days.