Delhi Telecom Providers Confirm Internet Shutdown Amid Political Protest Telecom service providers in Delhi confirmed receiving government orders to block mobile internet in central areas on Monday, July 20, 2026, amid the Cockroach Janta Party’s ‘Chalo Sansad’ march during the monsoon session of the Indian parliament. Despite the directive, no official copy of the suspension order was made public, prompting criticism from digital rights advocates. The shutdown, which began as early as 10 a.m., was reportedly enforced by telecom companies including Airtel, Jio, and Vi. According to Hindustan Times, officials at two major providers confirmed the government’s directive, with services restored by 6 p.m. However, the identity of the public authority issuing the order remains unclear. The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), a digital rights group, condemned the lack of transparency, citing legal mandates from the Supreme Court. The IFF emphasized that the Supreme Court had directed all internet shutdown orders to be published, with reasons recorded in writing and restrictions limited to the least restrictive measures. The group argued that the unpublished order violated the Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India ruling and the Suspension Rules, 2024, which require judicial review and scrutiny by a review committee. IFF warned that an unpublished order rendered it unaccountable, preventing challenges in court and undermining the judicial review guaranteed by the Supreme Court. The group highlighted that without public access to the order, it was impossible to verify if a competent authority issued it or whether the review committee would examine it within the stipulated timeframe. This incident follows a history of internet shutdowns in Delhi.#delhi #airtel #vi #cockroach_janta_party #jio
