The Delhi High Court has delivered a significant blow to the instant messaging platform Telegram by upholding the central government's order to ban the application until June 22. The court dismissed the petition filed by Telegram challenging the restriction, stating that the government's decision wasn't made without careful consideration. This legal battle comes in the wake of concerns surrounding the integrity of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, which is scheduled to take place on June 21. The court's decision reinforces the government's authority to take preemptive measures to prevent examination-related fraud and maintain public order.
Court Validates Government Action Under IT Act
A bench led by Justice Tejas Karia delivered the verdict, affirming that the central government's order was based on sound reasoning. The court highlighted that under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the government possesses the legal power to block access to any platform if it's deemed necessary in the interest of national security, public order, or to prevent the incitement of offenses. Justice Karia noted that the blocking order was issued following a proper review process, which included a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary. The court emphasized that the nature of the power exercised by the government in this instance was justified given the circumstances surrounding the national-level medical entrance examination.
Arguments Regarding User Rights and Platform Misuse
During the proceedings, the court engaged in a detailed discussion regarding the balance between individual rights and public interest. Justice Tejas Karia questioned the central government's counsel on whether the rights of 150 million users could be suspended simply because a segment of the population was appearing for an exam. The judge asked if the voice of 15 crore users could be suppressed for the sake of an examination. On the other hand, the court also questioned Telegram's senior advocate, Dhruv Mehta, regarding the nature of the emergency and whether the platform was suggesting that only specific information should be blocked instead of the entire platform. Telegram argued that the ban was an overreach of power and lacked the necessity of an emergency situation.
Government Labels Telegram as the New Dark Web
Defending the ban, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented a stern argument on behalf of the government. He stated that the authorities possessed substantial material indicating the misuse of the platform in connection with examination irregularities. The government informed the Delhi High Court that Telegram is increasingly being used for activities such as terrorism, cybercrime, and drug trafficking, while the Solicitor General went as far as to describe the instant messaging platform as the new Dark Web, which serves as a hub for connecting criminals and facilitating illegal activities. The government argued that the court shouldn't ignore the larger public interest involved in ensuring a fair and leak-proof examination process.
Context of the NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak
The decision to ban Telegram was rooted in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) concerns that the platform was being utilized by organized cheating networks, while these networks were allegedly involved in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, which had previously led to the cancellation of the original examination held in May 2026. To prevent a recurrence of such incidents during the re-exam on June 21, the ministry issued the directive under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, restricting access to Telegram across India until June 22. The court's refusal to stay this order means the platform will remain inaccessible to its vast user base in the country until the specified date, prioritizing the security of the examination process over platform accessibility.