Kohima: Amid tension following yesterday’s polling, Home Commissioner Abhijit Sinha has ordered a ban on internet services in Kiphire district with immediate effect till further orders.
Through a notification on Tuesday, Sinha informed of the apprehension of grave law and order problems and post-poll violence in the Kiphire district.
Messaging services like SMS and WhatsApp and other social media platforms could be used for spreading rumours, and false information, and for circulating inflammatory texts, pictures, videos and so on which may exacerbate the law and order situation, the Home Commissioner said.
To prevent the misuse of such mediums from flaring up the tension in the district, and to prevent a breach of public peace and tranquillity, Sinha imposed the ban under Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
The order prohibits Mobile Internet/ Data Service of all Service Providers in the entire area of Kiphire district with immediate effect till further orders.
Any violation of this promulgation would be punishable under Section 188 CrPC, and also under the relevant sections of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Sinha warned.
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Local sources told EastMojo that the situation under 60-Pungro Kiphire Assembly Constituency turned tense after civilians supporting Ramdas Athawale’s Republican Party of India (RPI) demanded re-poll in the constituency.
The constituency has three candidates in the fray, including RPI(A) candidate Yangseo Sangtam, NDPP’s Kiusumew Yimchunger, and INC’s T Atsuba.
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