Delhi HC Upholds Telegram Block Under IT Act for NEET-UG Integrity

Hindustan Times - India · 22 Jun 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Polity and constitution High relevance

The Delhi High Court upheld the government's temporary block on Telegram under Section 69A of the IT Act, citing proportionality to prevent exam leaks during NEET-UG re-test, reinforcing state's digital regulatory powers.

Key points

Section 69A of IT Act: The Delhi HC upheld the government's power to block Telegram entirely under Section 69A, interpreting 'information' broadly to include entire platforms, not just specific content.

Proportionality Test: The court applied the four-part test from Anuradha Bhasin v Union of India, finding the temporary block justified given Telegram's architecture enabling rapid dissemination of leaks.

NEET-UG 2026 Cancellation: The original exam was cancelled on May 12 due to overlaps between a leaked guess paper and the actual paper, prompting a CBI probe and 13 arrests.

Telegram's Role: Channels like 'Private Mafia' and 'PAPER LEAKED NEET' sold fake papers for up to ₹10 lakh, exploiting message-editing features to fabricate post-exam 'proof' of leaks.

Government's Argument: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cited Telegram's cloud-based infrastructure and anonymized usernames as making content-specific enforcement ineffective.

Telegram's Defense: Senior advocate Dhruv Mehta argued Section 69A only permits blocking specific 'information', not entire platforms, and highlighted rights of 15 crore Indian users.

[GS2-Governance] This case tests the balance between digital rights and state authority, relevant to questions on IT Act amendments and fundamental rights restrictions.

[GS3-Technology] The ruling highlights challenges in regulating cloud-based platforms with features like message-editing, impacting India's cybersecurity framework.

Way Forward: India should establish a dedicated digital enforcement agency, mandate real-time cooperation from platforms during critical periods, and reform Section 69A to clarify proportionality standards for platform-wide blocks.

Key terms

Proportionality Test

A judicial doctrine derived from constitutional law requiring state actions restricting rights to be suitable, necessary, and proportionate to their aims. The Delhi HC applied the four-part test from Anuradha Bhasin to validate the Telegram block, setting a precedent for future digital regulation cases.

NEET-UG

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for undergraduate medical courses, governed by the National Testing Agency. Recurrent paper leaks and the 2026 cancellation highlight systemic vulnerabilities in India's high-stakes examination infrastructure.

Anuradha Bhasin v Union of India

A 2020 Supreme Court judgment that established the proportionality test for internet shutdowns under Article 19. The Delhi HC's application of this precedent to platform blocking expands its relevance to digital rights jurisprudence.

Section 69A of IT Act

Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 empowers the government to block public access to any information online for reasons like sovereignty, security, or public order. The Delhi HC's broad interpretation that 'information' includes entire platforms has significant implications for digital rights and state surveillance powers.