Ban on prepaid mobile phone in J&K likely to go by Jan 15

The ban on prepaid mobile phone service in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be lifted by January 15.

The ban on prepaid mobile phone service in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be lifted by January 15.

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The Centre is finalizing a "fool-proof" plan to ensure proper verification of nearly 38 million cell phone subscribers in the state, official sources said here today.

The Department of Telecom will file an affidavit this week in the Supreme Court about the measures being implemented by the government to ensure effective verification of the customer who purchases a pre-paid mobile number in the state, the sources said.

They said while the procedure was being given final touches, it was expected that the ban may be lifted from January 15.

The Supreme Court had on December 15 granted two weeks to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir government to respond to a petition filed by Panthers Party Chief Bhim Singh challenging the ban on pre-paid mobile phone services in the state.

The matter would come up for hearing on January 8. The Union Home Ministry had imposed a ban on pre-paid mobile phone services on November one last year and Home Minister P Chidambaram had recently said that if the service providers come up with a fool-proof plan of 100 per cent verification and the ministry was satisfied with it then the issue may be revisited."