The Indian government defended its temporary blocking order on Telegram before the Delhi High Court on June 18, citing the platform's unique architecture that facilitates unlawful content re-emergence. The order, issued on June 16, blocks Telegram in India until June 22 and requires disabling message editing until June 30, ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for June 21, according to medianama.com.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Telegram’s bot ecosystem, mirror channels, and anonymity features enable rapid dissemination and persistence of illegal content despite takedown efforts. Attorney General R. Venkataramani added that a platform unable to address risks arising from its own design cannot rely solely on proportionality arguments. Justice Tejas Karia reserved judgment after hearing the challenge and directed submissions by 7 pm on June 18, per medianama.com.
The government’s case referenced Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre reports from 2024 to 2026, including a detailed June 10, 2026 report, highlighting Telegram’s distinct technical features that complicate content regulation. This distinguishes Telegram from other intermediaries and underpins the temporary ban. The case underscores challenges regulators face with platforms that have architecture enabling rapid content reappearance, as noted by medianama.com.
The Delhi High Court’s judgment on Telegram’s challenge to the blocking order remains pending following the June 18 hearing. The platform must comply with disabling message editing until June 30, and the block remains effective through June 22, covering the NEET-UG re-exam period, according to medianama.com.