The Delhi High Court upheld the government’s decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram ahead of the crucial NEET-UG retest on Sunday. The court said the step was not disproportionate, as the messaging app can facilitate “automated dissemination” of large content.
A vacation bench of Justice Tejas Karia dealt with two questions. First, whether the impugned order was vitiated by non-application of mind, and second, whether temporarily blocking the Telegram platform satisfied the requirement of proportionality.
Taking note of the emergency nature and the reasons accorded by the Centre for its action, the verdict said that they were sufficient and the procedure as provided under the law had been duly followed.
The bench referred to Section 69A of the IT Act and said that the government was empowered to block public access to any online information.
On May 12, the National Testing Agency had cancelled the NEET-UG test held on May 3 for medical admissions amid allegations of a paper leak.
