UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Internet curbs in Manipur’s Ukhrul after houses burnt

Q1. Which one of the following is the primary statutory instrument currently in force that governs orders for temporary suspension of telecommunication (including internet) services in India, such as the suspension imposed in Ukhrul district of Manipur in February 2026?

  • A. Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009
  • B. Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017
  • C. Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024
  • D. Code of Criminal Procedure (Section 144) Orders, as standardised in 2020

Q2. With reference to the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024 vis-à-vis the earlier Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017, consider the following statements: 1. The 2024 Rules are made under Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, whereas the 2017 Rules were made under Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. 2. Unlike the 2017 Rules, the 2024 Rules empower the competent authority to issue a suspension order without recording any reasons in writing. 3. Both the 2024 Rules and the 2017 Rules require every suspension order to be examined by a Review Committee and limit the operation of any single order to a maximum of fifteen days. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2024 Rules are made under Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, whereas the 2017 Rules were made under Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
  2. Unlike the 2017 Rules, the 2024 Rules empower the competent authority to issue a suspension order without recording any reasons in writing.
  3. Both the 2024 Rules and the 2017 Rules require every suspension order to be examined by a Review Committee and limit the operation of any single order to a maximum of fifteen days.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. With reference to the legal architecture invoked to impose internet curbs such as the one in Ukhrul district of Manipur in 2026, consider the following pairings of an entity / provision with its role: 1. Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 — parent statutory provision for the 2024 Suspension Rules 2. Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 — parent statutory provision currently in force for the 2024 Suspension Rules 3. An officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India — the minimum rank empowered to issue a suspension order in an unavoidable circumstance, subject to confirmation by the competent authority within 24 hours 4. The Director General of Telecommunications — the competent authority who ordinarily issues suspension orders at the State level Which of the pairings given above is/are NOT correctly identified?

  1. Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 — parent statutory provision for the 2024 Suspension Rules
  2. Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 — parent statutory provision currently in force for the 2024 Suspension Rules
  3. An officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India — the minimum rank empowered to issue a suspension order in an unavoidable circumstance, subject to confirmation by the competent authority within 24 hours
  4. The Director General of Telecommunications — the competent authority who ordinarily issues suspension orders at the State level
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q4. Under the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, in the context of a suspension order being issued at the State level — as in the case of Ukhrul district of Manipur — the expression 'competent authority' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The Chief Minister of the State
  • B. The Director General of Police of the State
  • C. The Secretary to the State Government in charge of the Home Department
  • D. The Chief Secretary of the State Government

Q5. The Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024 — the rules under which internet services were suspended in Ukhrul district of Manipur in February 2026 — were notified by which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • C. Ministry of Communications
  • D. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting