The Delhi High Court has directed Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to permit nine students, who were recently rusticated on allegations of sexual harassment, to appear for their upcoming examinations starting Wednesday.
Justice Vikas Mahajan, while passing an interim order, also restrained the university from taking any coercive steps to evict the students from their hostels until the next hearing scheduled for May 28. The court emphasized the need to uphold the principles of natural justice.
“Having regard to the submission of the counsel for the petitioners, more particularly to the fact that there is violation of principles of natural justice, the respondent university is directed to allow the petitioners to take their examination, till the next date of hearing and no coercive action shall be taken against them to vacate their hostels,” the order stated.
JNU had rusticated the students for two semesters and declared them out of bounds from the campus through separate orders issued on May 5. The students subsequently approached the High Court seeking quashing of the university’s decision and related proceedings.
Advocate Kumar Piyush Pushkar, appearing for the students, contended that the disciplinary action was taken without granting the petitioners an opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, violating the basic tenets of natural justice.
The High Court issued a notice to JNU and directed it to file a response within a week.
The students’ plea highlighted that the rustication order prevented them from appearing in examinations scheduled from May 14. The interim relief, the court clarified, would not create any special equities in their favour and would remain subject to the final outcome of the case.
The case stems from a complaint filed by 47 women students from the Centre for the Study of Social Systems (CSSS), who alleged sexual harassment and violence during a freshers’ party at the university convention centre on October 22, 2024.
According to the petitioners, they were summoned by the vice-chancellor on October 25, 2024, and were summarily rusticated without the formation of an inquiry committee or proper proceedings. Although they were later issued a showcause notice in April along with an inquiry report, the students claimed they were again rusticated on May 5 without being allowed to cross-examine witnesses, in addition to being fined ₹10,000 each.
The matter will be taken up for further hearing on May 2
