Telegram challenges government directive that temporarily suspends its operations

The court agreed to an urgent hearing of the matter after the advocate flagged it during another proceeding; Justice Tejas Karia is slated to hear the case

Telegram Challenges India Ban in Court

Telegram has approached the Delhi High Court, contesting the central government's order that temporarily suspended the platform's operations across India as part of a broader crackdown aimed at curbing fraud linked to the NEET-UG medical entrance examination. The bench took up the matter on an expedited basis after Telegram's counsel flagged the issue during proceedings in an unrelated case, prompting the vacation bench of Justice Tejas Karia to allow urgent listing of the petition.

Government's Restriction Order Explained

The restriction, which took effect on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, and is set to remain until June 22, was introduced to prevent candidates sitting for the NEET exam from exploiting the app to cheat. The government acted on recommendations from the National Testing Agency and the Department of Higher Education, invoking Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to restrict access to Telegram during this window, which covers the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21 and its immediate aftermath. Notably, Google and Apple removed the Telegram app from their respective stores shortly after the order was issued. A second, related directive required Telegram to switch off its message-editing function for posts already shared, applicable across India until June 30, since authorities said this feature had been exploited by cheating networks to fabricate fake "paper leak" evidence after the fact.

Telegram: Ban Undermines Constitutional Protections

Appearing before the court on Wednesday, June 17, Telegram argued that shutting down the platform entirely would erode constitutional safeguards, according to a copy of the filing reviewed by Reuters. The company's core argument, as detailed in court papers, was that it had already taken proactive steps, removing more than 900 links carrying unlawful NEET-related material and deploying AI and machine-learning tools to police such content, making a blanket ban unnecessary and excessive. Telegram further contended that the order was disproportionate because it affected over 150 million users nationwide, and that the government had not adequately justified why narrower steps, like targeted removal of specific offending channels, would not have sufficed instead of suspending the entire service.

Procedural Objections and Durov's Reaction

The petition also raised a procedural objection, with Telegram pointing out that it had not been granted a hearing as required under Rule 8 of the Information Technology Rules, 2009, despite reportedly staying in touch with relevant authorities for weeks beforehand. The company additionally claimed it was being treated unfairly compared to other intermediaries facing no similar restrictions, framing this as a violation of the constitutional guarantee of equality. Telegram founder Pavel Durov also weighed in publicly, asserting on X that the move penalized millions of ordinary Indian users rather than targeting the individuals actually responsible for leaking exam content.

Government Defends the Crackdown

The government, for its part, defended the order, with officials telling the court that Telegram had been systematically misused by organized fraud rings, and indicating that further evidence would be presented to substantiate the claims. Separately, the National Testing Agency identified several channels, operating under names implying access to leaked papers, that allegedly demanded payments ranging from a few thousand to several lakh rupees in exchange for supposedly confidential exam material. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh stated that no genuine leak had occurred and that the circulating messages were fabricated, adding that the resulting anxiety among students necessitated the government's intervention. Telegram did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Background: NEET Exam Controversy and Next Steps

This dispute follows the cancellation of the original NEET-UG examination last month, after authorities launched an investigation into allegations that exam questions had been compromised ahead of time, a controversy that ultimately led to the rescheduled re-examination now set for June 21 and the temporary restrictions currently being challenged in court. The Delhi High Court has since sought formal responses from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the National Testing Agency, with further hearings expected once these replies are filed.