Delhi HC issues notice on plea of NSUI Secretary challenging his debarment by DU

New Delhi [India], April 13 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice to the University of Delhi after the national secretary of the Congress students' wing filed a plea, challenging his debarment for one year by the varsity.

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) leader Lokesh Chugh has been debarred by the university over the screening of the banned BBC documentary on campus in January this year.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued a notice to the University of Delhi.

The high court directed the counsel for the university to file a reply and listed the matter on April 18.

"It has been submitted that on January 27, 2023, there was a protest orgzed by a few students at the Faculty of Arts (Main Campus), University of Delhi. During this protest, an allegedly banned BBC Documentary namely "India: the Modi Question" was screened for public viewing," the plea said.

"At the relevant time, the Petitioner was not present at the protest site, neither had

facilitated or participated in the screening in any manner, the plea said.

Chugh, a PhD scholar stated in the plea that he was giving a live interview at the time when the Documentary was being screened. Thereafter, police detained a few students for screening the documentary and charged them with disturbing the peace in the area.

The plea stated that Chugh was neither detained nor charged with any form of incitement or violence or disturbance of the peace by the police.

It is submitted that he was issued a Show cause notice by the Proctor to show cause why action should not be taken against him for his alleged involvement in law and order disturbance during the screening of the documentary.

He filed a reply on the notice on February 20, the plea stated.

It is also stated that he submitted his PhD thesis on March 3, 2023.

Thereafter, On March 10, the Registrar issued a Memorandum imposing a penalty of debarment from taking any University, College, or Departmental Examinations for one year, the plea said.

It is also submitted that neither the Disciplinary Authority/Committee nor the said Memorandum has given any finding as to what indiscipline is attributed to the Petitioner.

It is also said the order of debarment is against the natural principle of justice as the Petitioner was not given to explain his conduct.

Holding him guilty of indiscipline is based on biased premises as other student participants have been asked to file a written apology, the plea stated further.