Cal HC seeks report on internet curbs during board exams

New Delhi, Mar 10: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal government to inform it by Thursday 3 pm about the decision of a review committee over restrictions imposed on internet connectivity at some places in the state during the ongoing 'Madhyamik' (secondary) board examinations for Class 10, PTI reported.

The court was informed that the review committee is scheduled to meet at 11 am on Thursday. Taking up a PIL challenging the imposition of such curbs by the state government, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj directed the state to submit a report on the deliberations and decisions in the meeting by 3 pm on Thursday.

The matter will also be taken up for hearing at 3 pm on Thursday, the court said. 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' examinations commenced.

The dates and timing of the restrictions coincide with those of the Madhyamik examinations in the state. The Home Department order 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".

According to an official of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, the move was necessitated in the wake of reports of alleged leak of question papers from some examination centres in Malda and Murshidabad districts in 2019 and 2020.

(PTI)