April 16: It’s a goof-up that seems to have landed the department of telecommunications in an embarrassing situation. After issuing an order on Friday banning post-paid mobile phone users in Jammu and Kashmir from sending SMSes, citing security concerns, it was forced to hastily withdraw the order later the same day after the Union home ministry made it clear that it had sought no such ban.

The Omar Abdullah government in the state also voiced strong opposition to any such move.
Sources said the Jammu and Kashmir government had sought a ban on bulk SMSes as these were creating a law and order problem. Some anti-social elements were allegedly misusing the bulk SMS facility to spread rumours and anti-India propaganda in the state. It now appears that the department of telecom was not able to understand what the real problem was.
“The department of telecommunications, ministry of communications and information technology, has decided to withdraw its order of April 16, 2010 imposing restrictions on SMS services in the J&K service area,” said a department statement in the evening. Earlier on Friday, it had completely banned SMSes for post-paid mobile subscribers and set a limit of 10 SMSes a day for pre-paid users. Also, no SMS from outside the state or country could be delivered to any mobile in Kashmir.
The security agencies have always been sensitive to the potential misuse of mobile technology by militants operating in the state. Mobile phones were introduced in the state only in 2003. Last year the Centre had banned pre-paid phones in the state, to the discomfort of thousands of people. This was later revoked in January after protests by local residents and the state government.
The attitude of the security agencies could be one reason that in the ongoing 3G spectrum auction, no telecom player has submitted a bid for a license to start this advanced version of mobile technology in Jammu and Kashmir. Even after six days of auction, the state has failed to evoke any interest from the nine telecom players locked in fierce competition to acquire telecom blocks around the country.

Pawan Bali
New Delhi