On Thursday, April 27, the Delhi High Court set aside a Delhi University (DU) order debarring National Students' Union of India (NSUI) National Secretary and PhD scholar at the varsity Lokesh Chugh for a year, for his alleged involvement in the screening of India: The Modi Question on campus. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said that action against Chugh was taken in violation of the principle of natural justice, and "reasons are necessary to be assigned by the administrative authority" in the order.
"The court is unable to sustain the impugned order dated March 10, 2023. Impugned order is set aside. The admission of the petitioner is restored. Necessary consequences will follow," the judge ordered. The court, however, clarified that the debarment order was being set aside for a lack of adherence to the principle of natural justice and thus, the university was free to take action against the petitioner in accordance with the law, as mentioned in a PTI report.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for the petitioner. Chugh had approached the High Court earlier this month challenging the university's decision to debar him for a year for his alleged involvement in the screening of the controversial BBC documentary. The DU registrar had issued a memorandum to him in March under which he was not allowed to take part in "any university or college or departmental examination for one year".
Attorney General R Venkataramani represented DU and opposed Chugh in the High Court. The reply filed by DU read, "Petitioner had participated in the 'showing' of the banned BBC Documentary on 27.01.2023 at 4:00 PM in front of Gate No.4, Faculty of Arts, University of Delhi. This amounts to an act of indiscipline," as per PTI.
