Kashmir police withdraw order on prepaid mobile recharges

 Responding to growing public indignation and vendor protests against its directive to furnish details of every recharge made on prepaid cell phones, the local police Friday rescinded its directive.

A statement issued here Friday afternoon by the Jammu and Kashmir police said, “Instructions issued to recharge vendors to maintain records of customers have been rescinded, following assurances by mobile service providers to provide such details centrally.

“Accordingly, the district police authorities have been asked not to collect any details vis-a-vis the subject matter, henceforth, from recharge vendors.”

Media had highlighted the problems prepaid cell phone users would face each time they recharged their service.

Around 20,000 locals, mostly youths, are running recharge vends in the Valley and they had expressed fears that the directive would force them to shut down businesses.
“It is good news. I will start accepting prepaid recharges right from today,” said a recharge vendor after hearing the news.

In 2010, prepaid mobile facilities were withdrawn in Jammu and Kashmir. Intervention by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah succeeded after seven months to get the prepaid cell phone services restored in the state.

However, short messaging services (SMS) are still not allowed on prepaid cell phones in the state.