Conduct Student Body Elections, Set-Up Anti-Ragging Committee: Calcutta High Court To State In Plea Against Ragging In Bengal’s Universities

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday expressed concerns over the endemic of ragging prevalent across Universities in West Bengal, and the non-implementation of a report by the RK Raghavan Committee, which was constituted in 2009 by the Supreme Court to reduce instances of ragging.

In taking note of the plea, which arose out of the unfortunate death of a 1^st year student at Jadavpur University, due to incidents related to ragging and violence, a division-bench of CJ TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya directed the implementation of the committee’s report, as called for by the SC, and held:

“Petitioner points out that the RK Raghavan report’s recommendations on regular conduct of student elections, as well as constitution of anti-ragging committees and anti-ragging squads had not yet been implemented. Be that as it may, we direct state to immediately issue directions for conduct of student union elections [in Universities throughout the State] and forthwith direct for the constitution of anti-ragging committees and anti-ragging squads, with functionaries as pointed out in the committee report, if it has not yet been done.”

Petitioner, an advocate appearing-in-person had submitted that he was a law student between 2012-2017, and that the committee report, which had been validated by the Supreme Court in 2009, had shown no signs of being implemented throughout the State.

Petitioner submitted that he had contacted students from various State Universities, who had conveyed to him that their respective Universities had no provisions for an anti-ragging committee or anti-ragging squads.

State argued that the Universities would have to apply for permission if they wished to conduct elections, and that the State would provide all the machinery needed.

Accordingly, the Court issued the aforesaid directions and listed the matter for further hearing on 19^th September.

In another PIL, filed against Jadavpur University for its alleged mismanagement and ragging which directly led to the death of the 1^st year student, the Court took note of the fact that various student unions which were directed to be arraigned at the last hearing, had become defunct.

In observing that the University would need to conduct a door-to-door drive of its hostels to ensure that ex-students do not continue living on campus by giving them 24 hours to vacate their rooms, the Court also noted that the aforesaid defunct student unions could not continue issuing statements on University’s affairs.

Matter has been listed on the 26^th of September for further hearing.

Case: Sudip Raha v Jadavpur University & Ors and Sayan Banerjee v State of WB & ors

Coram: CJ TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya