News Desk - The Delhi High Court has upheld the Centre’s temporary ban on Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination, backing the government’s claim that the restriction was needed to stop exam-related leaks and misuse.

The court said the blocking order was based on relevant material and did not suffer from any “non-application of mind,” rejecting Telegram’s challenge to the move. The government had argued that the platform was being used by organised cheating networks to circulate leaked or fake question papers, spread misinformation, and coordinate malpractice before the June 21 re-test.

The ban was imposed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act and was set to remain in place until June 22, covering the exam day and its immediate aftermath. Reports also say Telegram was separately directed to disable its message-editing feature for Indian users until June 30, though the court found the emergency nature of the case justified the temporary shutdown.

The ruling gives the Centre legal backing to keep Telegram blocked during the NEET-UG re-test period. It also signals that courts may support temporary platform restrictions when the government presents evidence of a serious threat to exam integrity.