HC asks JNU to maintain status quo on sealing GSCASH office

The Delhi High Court today asked JNU to maintain status quo on the sealing of the office of a sexual harassment panel and sought its reply on a plea by some teachers and students challenging the decision to disband it.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the University Grant Commission (UGC) for November 28 and sought their responses on the petition.
The plea by some teachers and students had opposed the quashing of the office orders superseding the Gender Sensitisation Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) by an internal complaints committee (ICC) and a Registrar's circular putting on hold the election of student representatives to it.

"It is directed that till the next date of hearing, status quo shall be maintained regarding the sealing of the aforesaid office," the bench said.
"We have to ensure that the records are preserved. Maintain the seal. You have sealed it," the bench told JNU.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for petitioner teachers and students, said 25 complaints were pending before GSCASH and the court shall order freezing of documents and maintenance of records.

Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for JNU, said the university was willing to preserve the records of the pending complaints and it will not proceed with any pending enquiry for the time being.

He also said JNU has come up with the internal complaints committee (ICC) on the UGC's directions which have to be complied with by every university. GSCASH has been substituted by ICC, he said.
The JNU administration had in its 269th Executive Council meeting held on September 18 ordered the dissolution of the independent body, GSCASH.
Ever since the administration announced the decision in a circular issued a week ago by the Registrar, the students and teachers were up in arms against the move. It had also ordered putting on hold the polls for electing student representatives to the GSCASH.

As an interim relief, the petitioners have sought a stay on operation of the supersession order and a direction to JNU to preserve all records of GSCASH from 1999 till date in consultation with GCASH.
The court listed the stay application in October-end.
The petition was filed by three teachers and three students Prof Madhu Sahni, Prof Rajat Dutta, Prof Hemant Adlakha, Ritika Kar, Rituraj Sharma and Sonam Goyal.