Delhi University Moves High Court Against Order Setting Aside Debarment Of Congress Student Leader Over Screening Of BBC Documentary On PM Modi

The Delhi University has moved the Delhi High Court challenging a single judge’s order setting aside the varsity’s decision to debar PhD Scholar and National Secretary of NSUI Lokesh Chugh from taking examination for a period of one year over his alleged involvement in screening of a recent BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and latter's alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Najmi Waziri issued notice on the varsity’s appeal and sought response of Chugh.

The matter will now be heard on September 14.

Chugh had moved before the single judge challenging the memorandum passed by the office of varsity’s Registrar on March 10 debarring him from taking the examinations for a period of one year.

He had also challenged the show cause notice issued by office of the Proctor on February 16 which held that he was involved in disturbance of law and order in the university during the screening of the documentary.

While responding to the plea, the Delhi University had said that the screening of the documentary inside the campus amounted to gross acts of indiscipline.

The varsity had also said that rather than concentrating on his research, Chugh was indulging into “campus politics” and was instrumental in inciting the other students to indulge in “petty politics.” 

Vide the impugned order, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav quashed the decision for “violation of natural justice” and restored Chugh’s admission in the varsity.

In its appeal, Delhi University has said that the single judge passed the impugned order without appreciating the fact that Chugh himself admitted in his petition that there was a protest organized by few students at the varsity and that the banned BBC Documentary was screened inside the campus for public viewing.

“The Ld. Single Judge has passed the impugned judgement without appreciating the fact that section 144 CrPC was imposed at the time the protest on 27.01.2023 and that as per the video footage available, the Respondent No. 1 was clearly in violation of the same and was a part of the unlawful assembly in front, of Gate No. 4, Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi”,” the appeal states.

It adds that the rules of natural justice were duly complied with by varsity by issuing show cause notice to Chugh, seeking his written reply, granting personal hearing and passing the order thereafter.

Title: UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & ORS v. LOKESH CHUGH