The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim relief to Telegram against the Centre's temporary ban on the messaging platform, which is in place until 22 June. The ban was imposed under Section 69A of the IT Act, citing concerns over networks involved in leaking exam papers ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for 21 June, according to livemint.com.
During the hearing, Justice Tejas Karia issued a notice to the Centre, seeking its response to Telegram's challenge against the blocking order. Telegram's counsel argued that the government order lacked valid grounds for blocking the platform. The court will hear the matter again on 18 June, as reported by livemint.com.
The ban on Telegram is part of the government's efforts to curb the circulation of leaked exam papers, a recurring issue affecting the integrity of competitive exams in India. The use of instant messaging platforms like Telegram has been scrutinized for facilitating such leaks. The case highlights the tension between digital platform regulation and user access rights in the country.
The next hearing in the Delhi High Court is scheduled for 18 June, when the Centre is expected to respond to Telegram's petition challenging the ban. The temporary ban remains effective until 22 June, impacting millions of Telegram users in India during this period, per livemint.com.