JNUSU should be part of democratic decision making: Delhi High Court

JNUSU should be a part of democratic decision making until next hearing, said the Delhi High Court on Wednesday while putting an interim stay on a resolution passed by the Executive Council barring the Jawaharlal Nehru Students Union (JNUSU) from participating in statutory meetings.

A single judge bench of the high court presided by Justice Yogesh Khanna adjourned the matter till July 17.

"Without referring the issue of expenses to the Grievance Redressal Committee, the council on its own could not restrain the JNUSU to attend various committee meetings meant for the welfare of the students," said Justice Khanna while referring the matter to the Grievance Redressal Cell (GRC).

The students union of the JNU had challenged the university's decision to not notify the elected office bearers, and hence barring them from performing their duties.

The students in their petition stated that they are democratically elected office-bearers of the JNUSU for the academic year 2018-2019. And they have been prevented from carrying out their responsibilities towards the students, they claimed.

Petition further states that the 278th Executive Council of JNU held on 15.02.2019 in an unlawful exercise of power decided that JNUSU has not been notified for violating Lyngdoh Committee recommendations approved by the Supreme Court of India.

"The Dean of Students being a mere conduit to the publicise the results of the elections has no authority/power to recognize/de-recognize or nullify the same. The Dean of Students has illegally abrogated to himself all powers of the Grievance Redressal Cell and sought to nullify the elections," the plea claimed further.