The Delhi High Court on Thursday said that the rights of millions of people cannot be taken away by the government because a certain section of citizens is sitting for an examination on June 21 for the National Eligibility Test (NEET), which is held for admission to various medical and dental colleges.
However, facing such restrictions, a bench comprising Justice Tejas Karia presiding over it, sought to find answers to the examination-related concerns from the rights of nearly 150 million Telegram users on hearing a petition filed by Telegram.
After receiving arguments from both the messaging platform and the central government, the court asked, “How can we deny the rights of 150 million people because one set of citizens taking examinations?”
Tushar Mehta, representing the Government of India, submitted that there were scores of groups and channels on Telegram that were being misused. He asserted that this platform is home to a lot of those kinds of channels, and that one was less prevalent on other platforms.
The Solicitor General also cited a government report which claimed Telegram was a “favourite tool” for some illegal and terrorist activity. The government said it was taking measures to ensure the integrity of the examination process.
As testimony was heard, the court considered a previous case and asked if the rights of one segment of citizens could be denied to ensure those of another segment. The issue is under review, and the court is considering the issues of public interest and user rights of the platforms.