Delhi High Court Upholds Telegram Ban Ahead of NEET Retest

The Delhi High Court has upheld the central government’s temporary ban on Telegram, rejecting the messaging platform’s appeal just days before a nationwide medical college entrance exam (NEET) retest. The court ruled that the government’s intervention was a legal, justified, and “least restrictive” measure given the urgent nature of the situation.

The temporary block, effective until June 22, was implemented by the Centre following a massive scandal where the original NEET exam papers were allegedly leaked and circulated via Telegram channels. To protect the integrity of the retest for over two million aspiring doctors, the government suspended access to the app to dismantle organized cheating networks.

In court, the Centre—represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta—defended the ban under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The government argued that the temporary restriction was a narrowly tailored, necessary action that prioritized the public interest and the sanctity of a national exam over platform access. This decision was later backed by a high-level Review Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary.

Telegram, represented by Senior Advocate Dhruv Mehta, strongly opposed the move. The company argued that a blanket ban across the entire platform was entirely disproportionate and unfairly penalized millions of innocent users for the misconduct of a few. Telegram asserted that it had actively cooperated with law enforcement to take down illegal channels and that less disruptive alternatives were available.

Ultimately, the High Court sided with the government, stating that the blocking orders were well-founded, reasoned, and free from a lack of due diligence, dealing a major legal blow to the messaging giant.