New Delhi: Messaging platform Telegram has approached the Delhi High Court against the temporary ban imposed by the central government just ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination. The company has said that more than 15 crore of its users in India have been affected by the government order. The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench on Tuesday, after which the court agreed to an urgent hearing.
Senior advocate Madhav Khosla, appearing for Telegram, told the court that the ban imposed on the platform till June 22 is not only affecting the company but also lakhs of students, teachers, businessmen and common users. He said that shutting down the entire platform is a disproportionate step.
What is the government’s argument?
The central government recently issued an order under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to limit access to Telegram’s services in India. The government says that during the NEET-UG paper leak controversy, some Telegram channels were allegedly used to disseminate question papers and misleading content.
Government agencies claim that such networks could have become active again before the re-examination to be held on June 21. Due to this apprehension, this step was taken. According to officials, some groups were using the platform to spread misinformation related to the examination and mislead the candidates.
Is the message edit feature also banned?
The government not only ordered a limit on access to the platform but also directed Telegram to disable the edit feature of already sent messages by June 30. Officials believe that this feature can be used to spread misinformation by altering the timing and content of messages or allegedly making fake claims related to the examination to be credible.
What is Telegram’s argument?
Telegram says that the entire platform cannot be held responsible for the alleged activities of some individuals. The company argues that if some channels were violating the rules, targeted action could have been taken against them. The company has asked the court to stay the government order and restore services.
Has eyes fixed on High Court hearing?
The matter is now before the Delhi High Court, where both the government and Telegram will present their respective sides. This case is being considered as an important dispute related to the balance between freedom of expression, accountability of digital platforms and examination security. The court’s decision can become an important precedent not only for Telegram but also for other digital platforms operating in India.
