The government is likely to decide on Monday whether to continue prepaid mobile phone service in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and other northeastern States beyond March 31.
If a decision is not taken within the next two days, about 33 million subscribers may be affected. A high-level committee headed by Union Home Secretary L.C. Goyal will deliberate on the issue on Monday, highly placed sources told PTI.
The Home Ministry is expected to approve continuation of the service in the three telecom circles with some riders, including restrictions on some frontier pockets and sensitive areas where there is presence of militant groups.
A few norms could also be added in the existing subscriber verification process.
Jammu and Kashmir shares the border with Pakistan while most of the north-eastern States share international borders with countries like China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
