Delhi High Court has asked Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) not to take any action, including penalty, against Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar till 19 September.
On Monday, the JNU administration was directed by the court to not implement the order passed by its appellate authority, holding some students, including Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, guilty of indiscipline.
The students were found guilty, while 19 others were penalised in connection with the controversial 9 February event.
The direction came on pleas by Khalid and Bhattacharya, including JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, challenging the findings of the appellate authority.
Their matters were mentioned before a bench of justices BD Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar which fixed the pleas for hearing on Tuesday.
Kanhaiya Moves Delhi High Court Against the Order
In a related development, Kanhaiya and seven other students also moved the High Court against the order.
The 22 August order of appellate authority was scheduled to come into effect on Tuesday.
According to the order, Khalid has been rusticated from the university for the monsoon session which would end in December this year, while Bhattacharya has been directed to be out of JNU for five years.
Kumar told the Delhi High Court that the penalty imposed on him by JNU’s appellate authority was “completely incorrect” and varsity should not “fight” with its students in such a manner.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva sought response of JNU on the plea, after which the JNU counsel said she would file a short affidavit within three weeks.
Watch The Quint’s interview with Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya after their release from jail:
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