The Delhi High Court quashed the rustication of Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) PhD scholar and student leader Swati Singh on February 7. The court has directed the university to reinstate and allot a hostel for Swati's accommodation.
Expressing her gratitude to the court for quashing her rustication after a long legal battle, Swati Singh appealed to JNU to restore her studentship, hostel room and fellowship without further delay. "For now, I am thankful to all the students, faculty members, student organisations and others who stood by me. I have not been given registration yet, therefore, I would prefer to take registration first and then comment," she told EdexLive.
To recall, Singh was rusticated on November 8, 2023, as she was "found guilty of manhandling a lady security guard and misbehaving with the other security guards posted at the gate of Convention Centre, JNU on 29 August 2023." Condemning this, Singh alleges that the university had earlier issued 15 show-cause notices and punishments for participating in protest movements against fee hikes and mandatory attendance.
As reported earlier, the administration stated in the rustication orders that the scholar "did not turn up for hearing after sending three call letters". However, Singh claimed that she received only two call letters.
Court order
According to the court order dated February 7, which EdexLive has access to, the court said, "Resultantly, the impugned orders dated 8 November 2023, 16 November 2023 and appellate order dated 23 November 2023 as well as the decision to rusticate the petitioner and evict her from the premises in her occupation cannot sustain on facts or in law. They are accordingly quashed and set aside."
"The petitioner is, therefore, directed to be reinstated in the JNU and allotted a hostel for her accommodation. This shall, however, not prevent the JNU from proceeding against the petitioner, if it so desires, strictly in accordance with law and in complete compliance with the provisions of Statues governing the JNU," it added.
Singh told EdexLive that today, February 13 she will be meeting the administration for registration.
