JNUSU elections 2018: Delhi High Court stays JNU decision cancelling NSUI member’s candidature

National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) candidate Vikas Yadav (second from left) during a press a conference.

The Delhi High Court on Monday put on hold the order of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to cancel the candidature of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Vikas Yadav in the upcoming student union election in the varsity. Citing the order, Justice Siddharth Mridul pronounced the September 7 order of JNU as “unsustainable on innumerable grounds” as Yadav was not even informed on the complaint against him, reported PTI. The court said the operation of the order will remain stayed till the next date of hearing on November 27.

Earlier, the Grievance Redressal Cell (GRC) of the university in a letter dated September 7 to EC chairperson Himanshu Kulshrestha, said it had received a complaint from someone against NSUI presidential candidate Vikas Yadav, and on obtaining the “status of the disciplinary action” against Yadav from the Dean of Students’ Welfare (DSW) office, had found that he had been fined Rs 20,000 and a hostel transfer had been recommended.

“Against the said office order, Mr Yadav moved court. The court has given him relief related to academic programme and he was asked to appeal to the Vice-Chancellor. The matter is pending in the office of the chief proctor. In view of the above, GRC has unanimously decided that the candidature of Mr Yadav may be cancelled,” the letter stated.

The punishment pertains to a protest in February, when the NSUI had fried and sold pakodas on campus as a mark of protest against the Prime Minister’s statement that selling pakodas was a form of employment. Kulshrestha said no final decision on the cancellation had been taken by the EC so far.

– With inputs from ENS