Centre Lift Ban on Pre-paid Mobile Connections in J&K

The central government has withdrawn its ban on pre-paid SIM cards in Jammu and Kashmir, reported NDTV citing Home Ministry sources.

According to report, a new system has been worked out with telecom operators for verification of those buying cards and there will be strict new criteria in place for buying pre-paid connections.

While announcing ban in November last year, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had termed pre-paid mobile connections as security hazard for the state, for vendors selling SIM cards were not gathering the required information from consumers.

He had said that terrorists were using these connections. There was plenty of evidence to show that militants were using pre-paid SIM cards both to plan attacks, and to actually trigger explosions.

However, ban promptly triggered protest and criticism, Critics said that the ban would leave around 40 lakh people in the state without mobile connections.

Report said citing Home Ministry sources that after three months, the government would review the new process agreed to by telecom operators for collecting vital information about anyone buying a pre-paid SIM card.