Delhi HC Upholds Temporary Telegram Ban Over NEET Retest

The Delhi High Court has ruled in favor of the Indian government's decision to temporarily ban the messaging application Telegram, citing the need to prevent malpractice and the circulation of leaked examination papers related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) re-examination. The court's verdict, delivered on June 19, 2026, dismissed Telegram's challenge against the government's order, affirming that the ban was a lawful, proportionate, and the least restrictive measure taken in an emergency situation. The controversy began when the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), acting on recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA), imposed a temporary restriction on Telegram's access in India from June 16 to June 22, 2026. This period encompassed the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for June 21. The government argued that Telegram had become a primary conduit for cheating networks to disseminate fake question papers, fabricated claims of paper leaks, and misleading information, thereby undermining the integrity of one of India's most significant entrance examinations. The NTA had stated that repeated efforts to block individual channels and groups were ineffective as new ones emerged rapidly, necessitating a temporary platform-wide ban to curb the further dissemination of unlawful material during the critical examination period. Telegram challenged the ban, contending that the order disproportionately affected its over 150 million legitimate users in India. The company argued that Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, under which the ban was imposed, authorizes blocking of specific information rather than an entire platform. Telegram also claimed that less restrictive alternatives, such as disabling individual channels or removing specific content, were available and should have been adopted. The messaging app's counsel highlighted that the platform had already taken down over 900 links involving unlawful NEET-related content and cooperated with authorities on specific requests. However, the Delhi High Court, presided over by Justice Tejas Karia, upheld the government's action. The court found that the government had exercised its statutory powers in a manner consistent with constitutional safeguards and that the blocking order was well-founded and supported by relevant material. The court rejected Telegram's argument that Section 69A only permits blocking of individual pieces of content, stating that the term "information" under the IT Act is broad enough to encompass an entire application or platform when circumstances warrant it. The court also affirmed that the government was empowered under Section 69A to issue directions for blocking public access to Telegram, considering the platform as a "computer resource" through which information is created, stored, and transmitted. Furthermore, the court deemed the temporary ban, operational only until June 22, and the disabling of the message-editing feature until June 30, as proportionate and the "least restrictive measure" to achieve the objective of preventing misuse ahead of the re-examination and potential public order implications. The government's assertion that the platform was being used for "shocking activities" and that new channels would emerge even after blocking old ones was acknowledged. The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented "shocking" details to the court, emphasizing the continuous nature of misuse and the difficulty in containing it. The court also noted that the government had followed due process, including conducting post-decisional hearings, and that the blocking order was justified by the emergency nature of the situation. The judgment sets a significant precedent in India's internet governance jurisprudence, clarifying the scope of the government's powers under Section 69A of the IT Act and endorsing the application of the doctrine of proportionality to internet restrictions. While Telegram argued that the ban affected millions of legitimate users, including students and educators, the court prioritized the need to safeguard the integrity of the examination process and prevent potential public unrest. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also alleged that an extensive digital network, including WhatsApp and Telegram, was used to circulate NEET-UG 2026 question papers before the examination, underscoring the government's concerns about the platform's role in malpractices. Telegram's founder, Pavel Durov, had previously criticized the ban, stating it punished ordinary users and did not stop leaks, which he claimed moved to other apps. However, the court's decision validates the government's stance on using its powers under the IT Act to address such critical issues, especially when national examinations are at stake.

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