In some relief to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students’ union chief Kanhaiya Kumar and others who have the challenged the disciplinary action ordered against them by the varsity, Delhi High Court on Friday put the decision on hold till the appeals of the students are decided by the appellate authority.
Justice Manmohan issued the direction after the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) undertook to immediately withdraw its hunger strike and not to indulge in any further agitation.
The court in its order also said if the appeals of the students were rejected, then the order of appellate authority would not be given effect to till a period of two weeks.
“… till appeals of the students are heard and disposed of, impugned orders (of April 25) will not be given effect to. In the event appeals of the petitioners are rejected, the appellate orders will not be given effect to a period of two weeks,” the court said in its order.
The judge made it clear that the “protection is conditional upon JNUSU complying with its undertaking that it will immediately withdraw the continuing strike and will not indulge in any further dharna, agitation or strike”.
The court also told the students to “bring the temperature down” as the issue was “too hot right now” after the lawyers for the students claimed that some form of protest should be allowed if something else happens in future.
The court, thereafter, gave them the liberty to move “peaceful representations” before the authorities concerned and also asked the varsity to be “reasonable” and to be “alive to the situation”.
The order, however, would not be applicable to Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who have challenged their rustication, till they file an application saying they would be appealing against JNU’s decision which was taken on the basis of recommendations of a high level enquiry committee (HLEC).