Internet Accessibility as a Fundamental Right

Abstract

The study is made in the context of pandemic, how the lack of internet access has intensified 'digital divide' in the form of an access divide, a skill divide, an economic opportunity divide as well as a democratic divide. The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly increased our dependence on 'internet' and a lot of physical operations like access to medical facilities, education as well as availing basic services etc. being transformed to a virtual mode. Prior to this pandemic too, various countries realised its importance and set up infrastructure and enacted laws to ensure uninterrupted internet availability at affordable price. U N General Assembly has already recognised the access to internet as a basic human right in 2016, much prior to this pandemic. Considering its impact on human life, the access to internet is now no longer viewed as a source of feeding information but an instrument to enlarge the job market and increase the utility value of basic necessity services, a demand for including it as a 'fundamental right', not a 'derived right' in the aftermath of the judgment of Supreme Court of India. In this context, this article highlights the consequences of lack of equal access to internet facilities and explores the possibility of including it as a part of fundamental right in this country where inequality pervades every spheres of life.