Srinagar, February 16: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday added more than 1000 URLs in its whitelist of websites. Residents of Jammu and Kashmir can only access URLs mentioned in the list. With fresh additions, now 1,485 websites are accessible. However, social media platforms remain banned across the union territory. Meanwhile, the ban on 3G and 4G internet services have been extended till February 24.

After the Supreme Court asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to "review all orders suspending internet services forthwith", pre-paid cellphone service (voice and SMS) was restored across the UT on January 18. The administration had also allowed 2G mobile internet connectivity to 153 white-listed sites on post-paid cellphones in all the 10 districts of Jammu region and two revenue districts of Kashmir — Kupwara, and Bandipora. Kashmir: Unemployment on Rise After Article 370 Repeal Due to Internet Shutdown.

Whitelist Websites in Jammu And Kashmir:

On January 31, the administration added more URLs in the whitelist of websites, taking the number from 153 to 329. On February 7, the number of wite-listed sites was increased to 481. The apex court had declared that "freedom of speech and expression and the freedom to practice any profession or carry on any trade, business or occupation over the medium of Internet enjoys constitutional protection under Article 19 (1) (a) and Article 19 (1) (g)".

A blanket ban was imposed on internet services on August 5 when the Centre withdrew Jammu and Kashmir's special status, granted under Article 370. On January 24, 2G internet services were restored across Jammu and Kashmir for the first time.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 16, 2020 11:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).