JNU blockade peaceful, Delhi Police tell high court

The move came after the varsity had approached the court seeking help to remove blockade of its administrative building by students.

Delhi Police on Wednesday told the high court that a bunch of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students were carrying out a “peaceful protest” at the varsity’s administrative building against a UGC notification.

The move came after the varsity had approached the court seeking help to remove blockade of its administrative building by students.

The move came after the varsity had approached the court seeking help to remove blockade of its administrative building by students.

The counsel for Delhi Police counsel told Justice VK Rao that the students were holding a sit-in protest 50 metres away from the administrative block.

“The vice chancellor, teachers and staff of JNU are using the administrative block without any hindrance. Everything is smooth,” the lawyer said.

“We can also go over there right now, if the court asks. There is no constitutional breakdown. It is a peaceful protest. No untoward incidents so far,” the counsel for Delhi Police further submitted.

The students have been protesting against a UGC notification which put a cap on the number of students a professor can provide guidance, resulting in seat cuts in MPhil, Phd programmes of the varsity.

The petition has been fixed for further consideration on March 6 before a bench headed Chief Justice G Rohini.

The police also said there was no such siege as claimed by the varsity.

The JNU administration, however, said its staff and the students’ union leaders be asked not to protest within 200 metres of the administrative and academic complexes as per the academic rules and regulations.

The varsity claimed official and academic works were affected due to the blockade of the administrative building by students. It claimed helplessness in distributing certificates, degrees and other official documents as the blockade had restricted access of the vice chancellor and other officials.