Delhi HC rejects Telegram’s appeal against temporary ban
Delhi High court on Friday (June 19, 2026) declined to grant relief to Telegram, upholding govt.’s decision for temporary ban in view of the NEET-UG re-examination on June 21, 2026. The Court said that the centre followed all norms and due process, adding that the government is empowered under Section 69A to block the Telegram.
Telegram ban verdict: Delhi HC rejects Telegram’s appeal against temporary ban
Delhi HC upholds temporary ban on Telegram amid NEET-UG re-exam, citing government’s proactive measures against cheating.
- June 19, 2026 10:48Justice Tejas Karia: Government's pro active measures are least restrictive
Justice Tejas Karia noted that government’s pro active measures are least restrictive. It cannot be held that the order is disproportionate or there was no application of mind before taking the temporary ban decision, as alleged by the petitioner.- Ishita Mishra
- June 19, 2026 10:36Delhi High court declines relief to telegram
Delhi High court upholds govt. decision to ban Telegram temporary before Neet re-examination. - The Hindu Bureau.
- June 19, 2026 10:32Cybersecurity and policy experts raise red flags over taking an absolutist approach against the platform
Nisarga Adhikary, a cybersecurity researcher at IIT-K, warned that a blanket ban or heavy-handed restriction “optimises for visibility rather than actual risk reduction”.
“Telegram is relatively mainstream and at least has identifiable infrastructure, legal points of contact, and a large amount of public activity,” Mr. Adhikary said. “If determined actors are forced off it, they do not disappear. They migrate to platforms with stronger anonymity properties... pushing adversaries into darker corners of the ecosystem may simply reduce visibility into it.”
Mr. Adhikary also pointed out the technical impracticality of demanding immediate software overhauls, stating it is not easy for Telegram to alter integral functions such as editing or archiving on short notice.- Maitri Porecha
- June 19, 2026 10:20Ban is a band-aid solution and a disproportionate answer to exam fraud: Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF)
The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), in a statement, argued that the government’s ban on Telegram is a band-aid solution and a disproportionate answer to exam fraud. “At the outset, it is important to note that Section 69A and the Blocking Rules of 2009 framed under it allow the government to block access to specific “information” on a computer resource. They do not extend to switching off an entire intermediary, still less to ordering a company to redesign its product by removing a feature for a whole country,” the IFF said.
Telegram was warned about misuse before blanket ban, says NTA chief
NTA warns Telegram of misuse before nationwide ban, citing concerns over exam fraud and inadequate feature adjustments.
- June 19, 2026 09:56“How can we stop the rights of 150 million people just because one set of citizens are appearing in examinations?”, says Justice Tejas Karia
The Union government on Thursday (June 18, 2026) submitted before the Delhi High Court that the messaging platform Telegram has evolved into the “new dark web”, arguing that its architecture and privacy features have made it a preferred tool for cybercriminals, fraud networks, extremist and terror groups, and operators involved in examination paper leaks.
A Bench of Justice Tejas Kataria scrutinised the government’s justification for a platform-wide restriction, even as it acknowledged concerns about examination malpractice and cybercrime.
“How can we stop the rights of 150 million people just because one set of citizens are appearing in examinations?” Justice Tejas Karia said, while hearing submissions from both sides.
Telegram evolved into ‘new dark web’: Centre
Centre urges Telegram to curb illegal channels, citing inadequate measures amid concerns over organized cheating networks.
Published - June 19, 2026 10:01 am IST
