Jamia Protest: Delhi High Court Constitutes Committee To Calm Down Situation, Stays Suspension Of Students

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed that a committee be constituted to “calm down” the situation amid recent students' protest in the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). The Committee will be constituted under the supervision of Vice Chancellor of the varsity and will comrpise of other officials, including students' representatives.Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma also suspended till the next date of hearing the operation of a letter issued by the varsity on February 12, suspending various students over the protest. As per media reports, 17 students were suspended for “protesting without prior permission” and “defacing public property”. The students have been protesting against Jamia's order banning protests and meetings without permission. The Court was dealing with the pleas filed by the suspended students challenging the suspension letter issued by the office of Chief Proctor of the varsity whereby they were suspended and immediately banned from entering into the university campus. The petitioner students were represented by Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves and Advocate Abhik Chimni. Gonsalves submitted that the varsity had resorted to the action which was highly disproportionate to the protest being undertaken by the students. He submitted that the petitioners have a clean track record and had assembled outside the canteen for their protest. He further said that the varsity, instead of guiding the students, sided with the Delhi Police and made them arrested. Gonsalves said that the action of Jamia was totally against its academic regulations and that no chance was given to the petitioners to defend themselves.Adding to the submissions, Chimni submitted that the suspension of the students cannot be more than two weeks as per the varsity's ordinances.Advocate Amit Sahni appearing for Jamia submitted that the varsity had given sufficient opportunity to the students and that the protest was nowhere related to academics and that no permission was sought from the university. He said that the students were sleeping outside the canteen without permission and were therefore removed. It was also submitted that no student was arrested inside the campus and that they were initially detained and released later. The Court issued notice in the pleas and said that while it was not going into the reason of protest at the moment, the record prima facie showed that it was a peaceful protest. “All the students are of tender age and students went to the university to certainly make an endeavour to raise their voice within the framework of law,” the Court said, adding that participation in such peaceful protests are part of the training to inculcate the basic principles and norms of civil society.“The Court is fully confident that the administration of the university- the Vice Chancellor, dean and Chief Proctor, shall immediately take remedial steps so as to assuage and calm down the situation,” the Court said.It added: “Let a committee of officials under the supervision of Vice Chancellor be constituted. The representatives of students may also be called.”The Court clarified that it had not gone into the criminal cases registered against the students and that the present order will have no effect on them. “Let a report be filed by the University. In the meantime the operation of the letter dated 12.02.2025 be suspended till the next date of hearing,” the Court said. Title: Saurabh Tripathi & Ors. v. Jamia Millia Islamia and other connected matters Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Del) 269

Jamia Protest: Delhi High Court Constitutes Committee To Calm Down Situation, Stays Suspension Of Students

Nupur Thapliyal

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