In a significant decision on Wednesday, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea by a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, Rithu Anubha C, who challenged the rejection of her nomination to contest in the upcoming Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) elections, slated for April 25.
The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, declined to interfere with the JNUSU’s age regulation, which prohibits candidates above the age of 25 from contesting the elections. Despite the student’s argument, citing the J M Lyngdoh committee guidelines that mandate the university to conduct elections within six to seven weeks of the academic session’s start, the court upheld the university’s decision.
Rithu Anubha C’s counsel contended that had the elections been held in September, as per usual, she would have been eligible to participate. However, the counsel lamented that the delay led to her disqualification based solely on her age.
Addressing the plea, the Supreme Court bench remarked, “Many universities did not hold the elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Does it mean that the overaged can later seek the right to contest?” Consequently, the plea was dismissed.
