SC Verdict on Internet Shutdown in Kashmir: Ex-Bigg Boss Contestant Tehseen Poonawalla Scores A Major Victory!

The Supreme Court today ruled that the Internet is a part of Article 19's fundamental right to free speech. In a petition moved by ex Bigg Boss celebrity contestant Tehseen Poonawalla amongst the others challenging the Internet shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir after the August 5th removal of Article 370, the Supreme Court ruled that the Internet cannot be arbitrarily shut down by the government.

Tehseen Poonawala an ex Bigg Boss contestant was the first one to move to the Supreme Court on August 12th against the shutdown of the Internet in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Tehseen’s petition argued that the right to free speech included the right to internet.Right to internet also included the right to life because a lot of people depend upon the Internet for business, and without internet, how would they generate OTPs and also most insurance and health schemes were connected to the internet as well as exam free structures.Payments were to be made via the internet and the internet cannot be arbitrarily shut down in a country this way. 

The Supreme Court while agreeing with his petition has asked the government to produce all orders within seven days regarding internet shut down. It  has asked the government to review all internet shut down and to immediately start essential sites.

This is a massive victory for the Ex-Bigg Boss contestant Tehseen Poonawala and it's a fundamental victory for the people of India who are today celebrating the internet becoming a fundamental right to free speech.