In a major development for Telegram users in India, the Delhi High Court has refused to remove the temporary ban imposed on the messaging application and rejected Telegram’s plea seeking relief. The court has allowed the government’s decision to continue until June 22.

The order was passed on Friday by Justice Tejas Karia, who upheld the action taken by the authorities under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

Court Upholds Government Action

The Delhi High Court maintained the government’s directive blocking Telegram and declined to provide interim relief to the platform.

Telegram had challenged the restriction imposed by the government, arguing against the blocking order. However, the court found the government’s action justified and allowed the ban to remain in place until the next hearing date.

15 Crore Indian Users Impacted

The court’s decision has affected millions of Telegram users across India. The messaging platform reportedly has around 15 crore users in the country who rely on the app for sharing messages, videos, documents, and other content.

The continuation of the restriction has come as a setback for regular users who depend on the platform for personal and professional communication.

Ban Linked to Misuse Concerns Before NEET Exam

The temporary restriction was imposed after concerns over possible misuse of Telegram ahead of the NEET examination. The government had taken action amid fears that the platform could be used for unauthorised sharing of examination-related content.

Telegram later approached the court challenging the decision. During an earlier hearing, the court had questioned whether the rights of millions of users could be affected merely due to concerns involving a limited number of users.

Final Decision Awaited

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court had reserved its order on Thursday. With the latest ruling, the ban will continue until June 22, while further proceedings in the matter are awaited.

The post Delhi High Court Refuses to Lift Telegram Ban, 15 Crore Indian Users Affected appeared first on Odisha Connect.