• The 3-day long annual World Government Summit (WGS) concluded on 10 February 2016 in Dubai, the UAE. The summit was 4th in the series since the launch of WGS in 2013 by the UAE Government.


The 2016 WGS was attended by 4500 participants from more than 130 countries to discuss challenges and opportunities before present and future governments worldwide.

It also provided an opportunity to showcase innovations, best practice and smart solutions to inspire creativity to tackle these future challenges.


• The Supreme Court on 11 February 2016 ruled that States can clampdown mobile internet access under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) if there is apprehension that a public agitation can turn aggressive and disturb public tranquillity.


The ruling was delivered by a bench led by Chief Justice of India T S Thakur while dismissing a plea filed by law student Gaurav Sureshbhai Vyas against a Gujarat High Court order.

The petitioner contended that the high court’s order, which upheld a clampdown on mobile internet access under Section 144 of the CrPC during the Patidar agitation, was a violation of the right to freedom of speech and expression granted under the Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution.

The Gujarat high court, in September 2015, ruled that the clampdown was only minimal restriction and not a violation of free speech, which extends to unhindered access to internet.