Delhi High Court issues notice on Telegram's plea against India's blocking order

The Delhi High Court on June 17 issued notice on Telegram's plea challenging the Indian government's temporary blocking order, formally taking up a dispute linked to alleged misuse of the messaging app around the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on June 18 at 2:30 pm and gave respondents time to file replies and supporting documents, according to reporting from the hearing. The immediate next round of the case is expected to shape whether the temporary restriction remains in place as the exam-related dispute continues.

Telegram's challenge

Telegram had moved the court earlier in the day against the Centre's decision to impose a temporary block ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-test. The company is challenging both the legality and the necessity of the restriction.

The case is being watched closely because it tests the government's ability to use blocking powers against a platform during an active exam-security operation. It also raises broader questions about when and how access restrictions on a major messaging service can be justified in court.

Government's defence

Reporting from the hearing said the Centre defended the block and told the court that Telegram had been used by organised networks involved in cheating related to NEET. The government is expected to place further material before the court at the next hearing.

The ministries and agencies named in reporting include the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Testing Agency. Their responses are now due before the court resumes the matter on June 18.

Timeline of the dispute

Earlier reporting said the temporary block was set to remain in place until June 22, while some Telegram features would stay restricted until June 30. Those reported time frames make the June 18 hearing especially important, because the court will be hearing the challenge while the restriction is still active.

The dispute emerged in the context of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, which has brought heightened scrutiny to exam-security measures. The centre's position, as reported from court, is that the restriction is tied to stopping cheating networks that allegedly used the app to coordinate activity.

What the court has not decided yet

For now, the court has not decided whether to extend, modify or lift the restriction. Notice has been issued, replies have been sought and the next hearing has been fixed, but the legal outcome remains open.

That uncertainty matters for both sides. Telegram is pressing a challenge to the basis for the block, while the government is defending it as a temporary measure linked to exam integrity. The court's next hearing on June 18 at 2:30 pm is now the key immediate milestone in the case.

Why it matters

The case has implications beyond this single dispute. It touches on the scope of temporary blocking powers, the oversight of platform restrictions and the balance between exam security and access to communications tools used by millions of people in India.

It also places the NEET-related allegations under judicial scrutiny. The court will now hear more from the respondents and review whatever material the Centre says it will present before deciding what happens next with the block.