The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Delhi High Court recently intervened in the case of Ankita Singh, a PhD scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), by staying her rustication which had been based on allegations of misconduct. Justice C. Hari Shankar ruled that the university’s decision conflicted with its established regulations and the principles of fair justice.
The controversy began with an office order from the Chief Proctor of JNU, issued on May 8 last year, which mandated Singh’s rustication following charges of vandalism and misbehavior. Singh’s legal challenge highlighted a lack of procedural fairness in how the disciplinary actions were executed, a point the court found meritorious.
JNU’s legal representatives contested the petition’s validity; however, the court acknowledged evidence, including an August 2022 office order that had recommended Singh receive urgent medical care—advice she claims was never relayed to her, nor was she involved in any disciplinary inquiry that preceded her rustication.
Highlighting the opaque nature of the allegations and the procedural irregularities in Singh’s disciplinary process, Justice Shankar ordered her immediate reinstatement to allow her to continue her studies uninterrupted. The court has scheduled further hearings for July 9 and has given JNU four weeks to respond with a counter affidavit, seeking to clarify the university’s stance and address the judicial concerns raised about the fairness and transparency of its disciplinary procedures.