Delhi HC: "Three years have passed, what's the urgency now?" in Gamban blocking hearing

The Delhi High Court questioned the urgency displayed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) during the hearing on Tuesday concerning the blocking of the Gamban website. The case has been scheduled for September 30, 2026.

During the initial proceedings, Gamban's counsel highlighted that three years had passed since the website's blocking without any resolution. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma remarked, "Three years have indeed gone by, so what was the urgency today?"

The court urged MeitY to arrange a personal meeting with Gamban to explain the reasons behind the blocking order and requested the ministry to commit to a timeline for its submission. MeitY sought additional time and is expected to respond on Wednesday.

The service, a UK-based app designed to assist individuals recovering from gambling addiction by blocking access to betting and gaming sites, has been inaccessible in India since February 7, 2023. Gamban claims it was mistakenly included in a broader order targeting gambling applications.

MeitY's counsel contended that Gamban had itself delayed the process by taking over a year to respond to the ministry's communications and was now pressing for urgency.