Mobile internet suspended across central Delhi on July 20 till 6pm

The Union government on Monday ordered the suspension of mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi, including the Jantar Mantar area, till 6pm as thousands gathered for the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Chalo Sansad” march

The Union government on Monday ordered the suspension of mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi, including the Jantar Mantar area, till 6pm as thousands gathered for the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Chalo Sansad” march.

Chaos after the protest turned violent in Delhi on Monday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The directions were issued to telecom service providers (TSPs), including Airtel, Jio and Vi, according to officials aware of the matter. Protesters said mobile internet services stopped functioning as early as 10am, even as police prevented demonstrators from marching towards Parliament.

Heavy security was deployed in the area, and police used lathi-charge and tear gas after protesters allegedly attempted to breach barricades. The protest coincided with the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session.

Officials at two major telecom companies confirmed that they had received directions to suspend internet services. Many subscribers in the affected areas also received text messages informing them of the disruption.

“As per government instructions Internet services have been stopped in your area till further notice. REGINF,” read the message sent to users in English and Hindi.

It was not immediately clear which authority had issued the suspension order. The internet was restored by TSPs after 6pm, officials said.

Delhi has witnessed similar internet shutdowns during major protests in the past. On December 19, 2019, mobile internet services were suspended in parts of the Capital during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. In January 2021, internet services were also suspended around the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders during the farmers’ agitation.

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), a digital rights advocacy group, criticised the latest shutdown, saying no suspension order had been placed in the public domain. “As of Monday evening, no copy of the suspension order had been published by the Union ministry of home affairs, the department of telecommunications, the Delhi government or Delhi Police,” the organisation said, adding that the absence of a published order meant the public could not verify the authority that directed the shutdown, its legal basis, the areas covered or its duration.

According to the Software Freedom Law Centre’s (SFLC) internet shutdown tracker, India has recorded 24 internet shutdowns so far in 2026. The tracker showed two active shutdowns on Monday – one in central Delhi and another in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir. It recorded 54 shutdowns in 2025, 60 in 2024 and 96 in 2023.