New Delhi, June 18: The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a petition filed by messaging platform Telegram challenging the Centre's decision to temporarily block access to the app in India ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. The court is expected to deliver its ruling before the ban is scheduled to end on June 22.

During the hearing, the bench raised concerns about the proportionality of the government's action, questioning whether restricting access to a platform used by millions of Indians was justified due to the alleged misconduct of a limited number of users. The court observed that the rights of a vast number of legitimate users must be carefully weighed against efforts to curb examination-related malpractices.

Telegram argued that the temporary ban was excessive and disproportionate. The company contended that it had cooperated with authorities and removed hundreds of channels accused of spreading fake examination papers, misinformation and scams targeting students. It maintained that targeted action against offending channels would be more effective than a blanket restriction affecting all users.

The Centre defended its decision, stating that Telegram had emerged as a major platform for the circulation of fake NEET question papers and cheating networks. Representing the government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that authorities had received repeated complaints regarding misuse of the platform and that channel-specific takedowns had failed to adequately address the problem.

The government further submitted that the temporary restriction was imposed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act following recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA). Alongside the ban, authorities directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30, citing concerns that edited messages could be used to fabricate evidence of question paper leaks.

The case has sparked a wider debate over the balance between safeguarding the integrity of national examinations and protecting digital rights and freedom of communication. The High Court's verdict is expected to provide important guidance on the limits of government powers to impose temporary restrictions on digital platforms in the public interest.

Timeline of Events

May–June 2026

• Authorities receive complaints regarding fake NEET-UG question papers and examination-related scams circulating on Telegram.

Early June 2026

• The National Testing Agency recommends stronger action to curb the spread of misinformation ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination.

June 2026

• The Centre invokes Section 69A of the Information Technology Act and orders a temporary ban on Telegram until June 22.
• Telegram is also directed to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30.

June 17–18, 2026

• Telegram challenges the government order before the Delhi High Court, arguing that the ban is disproportionate and harms legitimate users.

June 18, 2026

• After hearing arguments from both sides, the Delhi High Court reserves its verdict and indicates that a decision will be delivered before the ban period ends.

June 22, 2026

• Temporary ban scheduled to expire, subject to the High Court's ruling.

June 30, 2026

• Deadline for the suspension of Telegram's message-editing feature in India, unless modified by further orders.

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