Gender body replaced: JNU, UGC get HC notice

Three faculty members and three students had moved the court, stating that on September 18, the university had adopted the UGC Regulations, 2015. It had then approved formation of an ICC with immediate effect, which would replace the existing GSCASH.

Jawaharlal Nehru University

The Delhi High Court has issued notice to JNU and the UGC on a petition seeking quashing of the JNU administration’s decision to replace the autonomous Gender Sensitisation Committee against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) with an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).

Three faculty members and three students had moved the court, stating that during an EC meeting, on September 18, the university had adopted the UGC (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015. It had then approved formation of an ICC with immediate effect, which would replace the existing GSCASH.

This had resulted in “extreme urgency”, the plea said, as around 25 inquiries were pending and they required an appropriate closure. All records of GSCASH since 1999, including pending inquiries, were sensitive. The petitioners were concerned that the records ought not to be altered/tampered/destroyed/modified, the plea said.

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The petitioners said JNU had its own revised rules and procedure of GSCASH, which incorporated provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar posted the matter for further hearing on November 28.

Meanwhile, counsel for the petitioners, senior advocate Indira Jaising, informed the court that the authorities had sealed the room assigned as an office to the GSCASH. She sought directions restraining the authorities from entering the office and accessing records and documents. Posting the matter on October 31, the bench, in its interim order said, “…till the next date of hearing, status quo shall be maintained…”

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