The Delhi High Court (HC) on Friday upheld the Union government’s decision to temporarily block access to the messaging application Telegram ahead of the re-conduct of the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2026 exam. It ruled that the government’s action was justified and proportionate in view of the urgency of the situation.

The HC observed that the temporary restriction was a necessary measure to safeguard the integrity of one of the country’s largest competitive examinations, which is taken by more than two million candidates aspiring to pursue medical education.

“Govt followed due process”: HC

While delivering the verdict, the Delhi HC said that the Centre had complied with the legal requirements laid down under Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act. Under the provision, the government is empowered to direct intermediaries to block access to online content under specific circumstances.

The court remarked, “After considering all the arguments, we find that given the emergency nature, the reasons supplied are sufficient and the government has followed the procedure in Section 69A.”

The bench noted that both the original blocking order and the subsequent review conducted by the statutory Review Committee reflected careful consideration by the authorities. While rejecting allegations that the decision had been taken arbitrarily, the court ruled, “The orders are well-founded and supported by reasons. They do not suffer from non-application of mind.”

Ban linked to NEET UG 2026 paper leak row

Notably, the Centre had suspended Telegram services temporarily until June 22 in the wake of a major controversy linked to the alleged leak of the NEET question paper. The exam, held originally on May 3, 2026, was scrapped following allegations that examination material had been circulated prior to its commencement through various channels, including Telegram groups.

Appearing on behalf of the government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the decision was taken after careful assessment of available evidence and was aimed at shielding the sanctity of an examination taken by lakhs of students nationwide.