JNU students question in HC HLEC's power to hold them guilty

The JNU students involved in the sedition row today questioned in Delhi High Court the power of the high-level enquiry committee (HLEC) to determine their guilt of alleged indiscipline in connection with last year's event during which anti-India slogans were purportedly raised on the campus.
"The HLEC's ambit was only to recommend the initiation of charges, if any, but it overstepped and recommended punishment without giving show cause notices," the lawyer appearing for JNU student Umar Khalid, who was also arrested by the police in connection with the event, argued before Justice V K Rao.
The varsity has taken action against several students, including Khalid and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, in connection with the controversial February 9 event.

During the arguments, Khalid's counsel told the court that HLEC was only a fact-finding body.
The counsel argued that the HLEC was not empowered to take action against Khalid as, looking at the terms of reference, it was purely a fact-finding mission and claimed that "their (JNU) action was contrary to the law".
The arguments on appeals filed by 21 students against the JNU's order holding them guilty of indiscipline in connection with the event would continue on February 6.

The students had earlier argued before the court that they were never told by the varsity that the HLEC was carrying out disciplinary proceedings.

The high court, in an interim order, had put on hold the varsity's decision against these students.
The students had contended before the court that not giving them due opportunity to defend themselves against the charge of indiscipline violated the principles of natural justice.
They have also challenged the punishments awarded to them which ranged from rustication for a few semesters to withdrawal of hostel facilities.
The appellate authority of the university had rusticated Khalid from JNU till December 2016, while Anirban Bhattacharya was asked to be out of the varsity for five years.
Kanhaiya, Khalid and Bhattacharya were earlier arrested in a sedition case in connection with the February 9 event on the campus against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. They are now out on bail.