The Delhi High Court has upheld the government's decision to block instant messaging service Telegram for six days ahead of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) re-exam, citing the emergency nature and sufficient grounds for the move.
The court ruled that the government's blocking order was founded on relevant material and did not suffer from any 'non-application of mind', as Telegram alleged.
Justice Tejas Karia noted that the test of proportionality has been satisfied, and the government has used the least restrictive method of temporarily blocking the application.
The high court also rejected Telegram's plea, stating that the platform's features created a 'unique ecosystem' that could be exploited for the dissemination of exam leaks, cyber-enabled frauds, and other unlawful activities.
The government had argued that Telegram's technical and architectural features distinguish it from other intermediaries and materially affect the ability to prevent, detect, and investigate unlawful activities on the platform.
