Delhi HC issues notice on Hansraj student’s plea challenging his suspension over ‘defaming college on social media’

Filed under Article 226 of the Constitution, Srivastava's plea seeks to quash the April 20 suspension order and all consequential disciplinary proceedings.

4 min readNew DelhiMay 6, 2026 01:39 AM IST

Hansraj College student Parth Srivastava, delhi high court, Hansraj student's plea challenging his suspension, delhi news, India news, Indian express, current affairs

Principal Rama Sharma had defended the action, arguing that it was necessary to maintain discipline and protect the academic environment.

The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a petition filed by Hansraj College student Parth Srivastava, challenging his suspension on grounds that include, among others, “defaming the college through social media platforms” and using “derogatory language.”
When the matter came up for hearing on April 29, Justice Jasmeet Singh allowed limited interim relief, permitting Srivastava to enter the college campus for one hour to fill his examination form, noting that the last date for submission was April 30. The court further directed that he “will not cause any disruption to the working of the college” and granted the respondents one week to file their replies.

The petition arises from a series of suspension notices issued by Hansraj College between April 20 and 25 against at least 30 students. Several of these notices cited “defaming the college through social media platforms” as a ground for disciplinary action, alongside allegations of indiscipline and violence during the college’s annual fest held earlier in April. Srivastava, a former president of the students’ union, was among the first to be suspended.

Filed under Article 226 of the Constitution, Srivastava’s plea seeks to quash the April 20 suspension order and all consequential disciplinary proceedings. It also asks the HC to direct the college to allow him to attend classes, participate in academic activities, and continue his education without interruption. The petition further seeks restoration of “all academic benefits, including attendance, coursework, internal assessments, and participation in academic and co-curricular activities” for the period affected by the suspension.

Arguing that the action violates principles of natural justice, Srivastava’s counsel, advocate Shaurya Vikram, told The Indian Express, “This is not merely a challenge to a suspension but to the legality of the process that led to it. A student cannot be subjected to serious civil consequences through a mechanism that has no clear statutory basis, offers no notice, and denies a meaningful opportunity to respond. That strikes at the heart of articles 14 (Right to Equality), 19(1)(a) (Freedom of Speech), and 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty).”

Vikram further questioned whether his client was being selectively targeted. “When criticism of the administration is not isolated, the decision to proceed only against one student… raises a serious question of whether he is being singled out,” he said, adding that the sequence of events suggested the petitioner had “touched a nerve.”

The college, in its notice, alleged that Srivastava had been “found involved in acts of indiscipline, including defamation of the institution” and claimed he had failed to appear before a disciplinary committee despite multiple opportunities.

Srivastava, however, maintained that his social media posts were critical of the administration on issues such as fee hikes and the functioning of the institution, and alleged that no due process was followed before his suspension. “They didn’t even care to send an email to me… no show-cause notice was published… no proper hearing was done,” he had told Indian Express, while describing the suspension as “completely arbitrary.”

Story continues below this ad

Subsequent notices issued by the college named other students for alleged involvement in physical violence during the fest, as well as for online activity that the administration said had “adversely affected the academic environment.” All four office-bearers of the students’ union were among those suspended and barred from entering campus, except to write examinations.

Since then, however, the college has reconsidered the suspensions of 11 students, including the four union office-bearers, who had been accused of defaming the institution on social media.

Principal Rama Sharma had defended the action, arguing that it was necessary to maintain discipline and protect the academic environment.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Recommendations...

May 13: Latest News

Live Blog