Delhi HC reserves verdict on Telegram plea against temporary NEET-linked block
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Thursday reserved its judgment on a plea filed by Telegram challenging the Centre’s decision to temporarily restrict access
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Thursday reserved its judgment on a plea filed by Telegram challenging the Centre’s decision to temporarily restrict access to the messaging platform ahead of the 21 June NEET-UG re-examination. A vacation bench heard the matter for nearly two hours for the second consecutive day. Senior advocate Dhruv Mehta, appearing for Telegram, argued that the government had imposed the temporary ban without adequate application of mind. Telegram also questioned the proportionality of the government's action in its petition, arguing that the blocking order failed to justify why a platform-wide ban was necessary. “The Impugned Order does not provide any basis as to why such a draconian measure, affecting the rights of the Petitioners, as also over 150 million users of Telegram in India, is a proportionate remedy,” the company said. Quick answers to key questions • 5 QUESTIONS 1 Why did the Delhi High Court reserve its verdict on the Telegram ban ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination? ⌵ The court reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both Telegram and the Centre regarding the government's temporary ban, questioning the proportionality of restricting access for 150 million users due to issues affecting a smaller group of citizens participating in examinations.
2 What measures did the Indian government implement against Telegram prior to the NEET-UG re-examination? ⌵ The Indian government temporarily banned Telegram and ordered the platform to disable its message-editing feature for previously sent messages, citing concerns over misuse related to circulating leaked examination papers. 3 How does the government justify the temporary ban on Telegram during the NEET-UG examination period? ⌵ The government claims the ban is necessary to prevent groups from misusing Telegram to circulate leaked question papers and mislead examination candidates, and it was issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. 4 What arguments did Telegram present against the government's temporary ban? ⌵ Telegram argued that the government imposed the ban without sufficient justification and that it unfairly penalized legitimate users while failing to address the actual perpetrators of examination malpractices. 5 What is the significance of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act in relation to the Telegram ban? ⌵ Section 69A allows the Indian government to direct intermediaries to block access to online content for reasons of sovereignty, security, and public order, which was the legal basis for the temporary ban on Telegram during the NEET-UG re-examination.
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