No Relief To Telegram From Delhi High Court As Centre Flags Repeated Violations

Last Updated:June 17, 2026, 19:15 IST

The Centre opposed Telegram's plea against the ban and told the court that sufficient material existed against the social media platform.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to grant immediate relief to Telegram after the Centre temporarily restricted access to the messaging platform ahead of the June 21 NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.

The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench of Justice Tejas Karia, who agreed to hear the case on an urgent basis. The Centre sought time to file its reply, and the matter will now be heard on Thursday afternoon.

Appearing for Telegram, its counsel informed the court that more than 150 million users had been affected by the government’s action. The platform argued that the blocking order was arbitrary and lacked adequate reasons.

“There are 150 million users in the country. You block everything. Article 14 is completely violated," the counsel said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, opposed Telegram’s plea against the ban and told the court that sufficient material existed against the social media platform.

“We have been dealing with them since May. We’ve not said anything yet," the Centre told the court, indicating that concerns regarding the platform had been under examination for several weeks.

During the hearing, Telegram’s counsel submitted that under the applicable procedure, the designated officer is required to examine the material provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA), arrive at a conclusion and make recommendations. The Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the counsel argued, must independently assess both the recommendation and the underlying material before taking a final decision.

The platform also told the court that it had taken proactive measures by blocking channels and accounts identified as problematic.

However, the Centre maintained that repeated violations and the material gathered against the platform justified the action taken.

The case assumes significance as it comes just days before the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, with the government citing concerns related to the misuse of online platforms.

About the Author

Saurabh VermaSenior Sub-editor

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

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