Published Jun 19, 2026 | 11:11 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 19, 2026 | 11:12 AM
Telegram logo.
Synopsis: The Delhi High Court upheld the Union government’s temporary ban on messaging platform Telegram till 22 June. The court said that the reasons cited by the Union government for the temporary ban were sufficient, in view of the emergent circumstances.
The Delhi High Court on Friday, 19 June, upheld the Union government’s temporary ban on messaging platform Telegram till 22 June, ahead of the re-examination of NEET (UG) – 2026 on 21 June.
“R1 (Government) was empowered under Section 69A to direct the blocking of access to Telegram. Test of proportionality is satisfied… The government’s measures are the least restrictive. It cannot be held that the order is disproportionate,” said Justice Tejas Karia, while dismissing Telegram’s petition challenging the ban, reported Bar and Bench.
The court said that the reasons cited by the Union government for the temporary ban were sufficient, in view of the emergent circumstances. The court further held that the due process under Section 69A (blocking powers) of the Information Technology Act was followed, adding that the blocking orders were well-founded and supported by reasons.
Also Read: Union government bans Telegram in India till 22 June for NEET (UG) 2026 re-exam
Earlier, aggressively defending its decision to block Telegram temporarily in India, the Union Government told the Delhi High Court that the instant messaging platform has evolved into “the new dark web”.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Bench of Justice Tejas Karia that cybercriminals, fraudsters and other malicious actors were operating on the platform under the cover of anonymity.
The court had earlier directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Testing Agency to submit their responses to the restrictions imposed on Telegram.
Mehta further submitted that concerns far broader than the NEET-UG re-examination controversy prompted the government’s action. Telegram’s architecture and privacy features made it the preferred platform for illegal networks.
On 16 June, MeitY issued a notification under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricting access to Telegram in India till 22 June, covering the day of the NEET-UG, 2026, re-examination.
The re-examination was necessitated following a leak of NEET question papers via Telegram groups. The exam held on 3 May was cancelled, and a re-test has been scheduled for 21 May.
Telegram challenged the temporary ban in the Delhi Court. Arguing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Dhruv Mehta said millions of users have been relying on Telegram for legitimate purposes. He contended that the blanket restriction disproportionately affected lawful activities.
It has been estimated that Telegram has over 15 crore users in the country.
