Withdraw petition for union: HC to students

Students of Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) hoping to form a students’ union on the lines of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), will have to wait some more.

Students of Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) hoping to form a students’ union on the lines of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), will have to wait some more.

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In a singular judgment, the high court has asked the petitioners to withdraw their case against the university.

The three petitioners, led by Afroz Alam Sahil, convener of Forum for Student Democracy, had filed a writ petition in the high court in December, seeking directions for electing a students’ union along with judicial intervention for lifting the ban on students’ union elections.

The university has asserted that it has been following the guidelines laid down by the Lyngdoh Committee.

“Jamia has adequate students’ representation. In line with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, classes elect their student representatives. We have been avoiding the involvement of political parties in the process, which is what happens when student unions are elected in other universities,” said Najeeb Jung, vice chancellor, JMI.

They have also challenged the petitioners’ credibility, claiming that while Sahil was an ex-student of the university, the other two were complete outsiders.

The petitioners, however, are not taking this lying down. While they have accepted the court’s order, they are ready to file another public interest litigation (PIL) once they garner adequate student support within Jamia.

“Jamia is trying to flout the Supreme Court norms because the court had mentioned very clearly that no university can ban students union elections and Jamia is going against that,” said Sahil.