New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the constitution of a committee under the supervision of the Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) to address the ongoing student protests. The court also stayed the suspension of students who were penalized for participating in demonstrations without prior permission, reported the Livelaw.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued an order suspending the university’s February 12 letter, which had suspended 17 students for allegedly “protesting without permission” and “defacing public property.” The students had been protesting against the university’s ban on protests and gatherings without approval.
The petitioners, represented by Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves and Advocate Abhik Chimni, challenged the suspension order issued by Jamia’s Chief Proctor. Gonsalves argued that the university’s actions were disproportionate to the nature of the protest and that the students, who had a clean record, were merely gathering outside the canteen to voice their concerns. He accused the university of siding with the Delhi Police instead of guiding the students.
Chimni added that Jamia’s ordinances do not allow student suspensions to extend beyond two weeks. Meanwhile, Advocate Amit Sahni, representing Jamia, contended that the university had given ample opportunity to the students and that the protest was unrelated to academics. He stated that students were found sleeping outside the canteen without permission and were consequently removed. He also clarified that no students were arrested on campus; they were only detained temporarily and later released.
The High Court issued a notice on the matter and observed that the records indicated the protest was peaceful. Justice Sharma emphasized that student activism within legal boundaries is an essential part of democratic training. “All students are of tender age and have the right to express their voices within the framework of the law,” the court stated.
The court directed the university administration, including the Vice Chancellor, Dean, and Chief Proctor, to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions and engage with student representatives. It ordered the formation of a committee comprising university officials and student representatives.
Additionally, the court clarified that its ruling does not impact any criminal cases filed against the students. It directed Jamia to submit a report on the situation and suspended the operation of the February 12 suspension order until the next hearing.
