- The Delhi High Court declined immediate relief to Telegram against the interim ban order
- The court will hear Telegram's plea after the Centre files its response by Thursday morning
- Centre expects to issue a final order on Telegram by Wednesday night
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to grant immediate relief to Telegram against the Centre's interim order restricting access to the messaging platform, with the matter scheduled for further hearing on Thursday at 2:30 pm.
The court said the plea seeking a stay on the interim order would be considered during the next hearing after the Centre files its response.
During the proceedings, the Centre informed the court that a final order regarding Telegram is expected by Wednesday night.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, sought time until Thursday morning to file a reply to Telegram's challenge against the interim order.
Telegram's counsel strongly opposed the government's action, describing the interim ban order as a case of "complete non-application of mind." The company's lawyer argued that Telegram had complied with government requests and removed all content and channels flagged by authorities.
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"All content and channels that were requested by the government have been removed," Telegram's counsel told the court.
The platform has challenged the interim restrictions, seeking urgent relief from the High Court. Opposing immediate relief, the Centre highlighted concerns over alleged unlawful activities on the platform.
The court observed that the extent of illegal activity on Telegram would need to be examined before deciding on interim relief.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also stressed the seriousness of the government's concerns. A key development in the case is the Centre's indication that a final order concerning Telegram is likely to be issued later on Wednesday.
The outcome of that order could have a significant bearing on the proceedings when the matter comes up for hearing again on Thursday.
For now, the interim restrictions remain in place, with Telegram's plea for a stay set to be considered after the Centre places its response and final decision on record before the court.
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