Plea in HC seeks elections to DU's Gwyer Hall student union

The Delhi High Court has sought Delhi University's stand on a plea by a student alleging that the students union of the varsity's prestigious Gwyer Hall continued to be in power since last year as no polls have been held in the hostel for the 2018-19 academic session.

Justice Yogesh Khanna sought response of DU and the hostel by December 20 on the petition which has contended that the current president "in nexus with (hostel) authorities was involved in various malpractices" there.

The plea by Umang Bhardwaj, a differently-abled student residing in Gwyer Hall hostel, has claimed that the administration was taking action against students who were objecting to the not holding of election there.

His petition, filed through advocates Harsh Ahuja and Kushal Sharma, has contended that disciplinary action was taken against two students who had made a representation for the post of mess secretary in the hostel union.

The plea also opposes the hostel's notice reducing tenure of PhD students at Gwyer Hall which was established in 1937 under the name 'Law Hall'.

The hostel, which enjoys the status of being the oldest men' hostel in DU, was completed in 1948 when it was renamed as Gwyer Hall in recognition of services rendered by Sir Maurice Gwyer, the then Vice Chancellor of DU and also the Chief Justice of then Federal Court of India, the petition has said.

It has sought convening of Gwyer Hall student union election for the 2018-19 academic session claiming that polls need to be held every year according to the Lyngdoh committee report, DU hostel rules as well as the rules and regulations of the hostel.

The plea has contended that the incumbent president of the hostel's student union was appointed on November 2 last year and his tenure ended in November this year, but no fresh election has been announced till date.

The petition also alleges that extension of residence tenure was being granted to some students arbitrarily based on their "political clout and connections", while ignoring needy candidates.

Apart from seeking holding of elections, the plea also wants an audit of various accounts related to the management of Gwyer Hall.