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In letter, but not in spirit
WAS IT political pressure or threat perception from student leaders that forced Lucknow University (LU) officials to come up with such a ?liberal interpretation? of the Lyngdoh Panel report? The latter report, after all, was aimed at keeping criminal elements away from the students? union poll. So, will violation of the SC interim order not amount to contempt of court? Or, is there more to it than meets the eye?
LU construal of Lyngdoh report raises eyebrows
WAS IT political pressure or threat perception from student leaders that forced Lucknow University (LU) officials to come up with such a “liberal interpretation” of the Lyngdoh Panel report? The latter report, after all, was aimed at keeping criminal elements away from the students’ union poll. So, will violation of the SC interim order not amount to contempt of court? Or, is there more to it than meets the eye?
These and similar questions were doing the rounds on the varsity campus on Monday, a day after the eligibility criteria for contesting the elections were defined by the LU authorities. While the teachers’ fraternity reacted sharply to the “dilution” of the Lyngdoh Panel report by LU officials, LU Teachers’ Association (LUTA) took a dig on the (mal)functioning of select varsity officials for not adhering to SC interim order.
Talking to HT Lucknow Live, LU V-C RP Singh stated that they had not diluted the Lyngdoh panel report and would go all out in complying with it. The V-C said: “We’ve sought legal opinion on the Lyngdoh report and the SC’s interim order, according to which, mere FIR against a candidate could not be the ground to debar him/her from contesting the election. It’s the police action if taken that acts as a deterrent.”
He explains: “Allegations of improper legal interpretation is baseless, as we sought legal opinion on the report. One must understand that without seeking legal interpretation we cannot enforce the SC’s interim order. I repeat that there is no looking back and the SC interim order would be adhered to in the forthcoming LUSU elections. Believe me, this time it won’t be as easy for the student leaders as was being misconstrued.”
Interestingly, Prof SK Singh of the Law faculty—under whom a committee was formed to ascertain the eligibility criteria for the student leaders—expressed deep shock as the criteria fixed by his committee had been ignored completely and dumped. “The eligibility criteria ascertained by the LU is completely different to what the committee headed by me had laid out,” said a seemingly disgusted Singh.
LUTA president DP Tewari lashed out at the V-C’s advisors. He said: “LU officials have twisted the Lyngdoh panel report and killed its spirit in totality. Neither have they bothered to adhere to the content of the SC interim order nor thought about the intent of the Lyngdoh panel report. In a nutshell, student leaders will have the last laugh since LU has made no effort to use SC ruling to its benefit.”
According to a majority of the teachers, it’s the select bunch of varsity officials, who in a bid to save their skin or to the escape the wrath of students’ leaders, have taken such a measure.
Even principals of degree colleges are frustrated with the varsity’s stand.
Says MS Naqvi, Principal of Shia PG College: “University has alienated itself from the spirit of the Lyngdoh panel report. It is painful that there was a golden opportunity to dislodge the baddies from the student politics.” Principals of other degree colleges expressed similar views on the issue.
