The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 11 December, directed the police to provide security and assistance to JNU's administrative staff, including the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar, to enable them to enter the main office building, access to which has allegedly been blocked by protesting students.
Justice Pratibha M Singh issued the direction to Delhi Police after the court was informed that the Registrar of the university has been unable to enter the administrative block which has been "on lock-down" due to the protest by the students.
The court was informed about the situation after it asked as to why Jawaharlal Nehru University had not till date filed its response in sexual harassment case involving two professors of the varsity.
Court Order to Protest100 Meters Away from Admin Block
When the court was informed about the situation in the varsity in the morning, it asked central government standing counsel Monika Arora and Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra to be present before it post lunch.
During the post-lunch proceedings, Arora informed the court that there was a high court order of August 2017 directing students to protest 100 metres away from the administrative block and not block access to the building.
The order had also directed the police to intervene if the students did not comply with it, she told the court.
Arora also told the court that exams were due to commence in the varsity and a lock- down of the administrative block would be hindrance in carrying them out.
After hearing them, the court directed police to provide security and assistance to the varsity staff to enter the administrative block and resume their work and to ensure the August 2017 direction is complied with.
It also asked the university to talk to the protesting students with regard to clearing access to the administrative block, failing which the police would intervene.
JNU Sedition Case: Court Grants 2 Months to Police to Get Sanction to Prosecute Kanhaiya
Meanwhile, a Delhi court granted two more months to the Delhi Police on Wednesday to get the requisite sanctions to prosecute former JNU Students' Union President Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a sedition case.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Purushottam Pathak directed the police to get the requisite nod by 19 February, the next date of hearing.
The court passed the directions after the police submitted that it was yet to receive the sanctions as the file was pending with the Delhi government's Home Department.
On 14 January, the police had filed a chargesheet in the court against Kumar and others, including former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, saying they were leading a procession and supported the seditious slogans raised on the campus during an event on 9 February 2016.
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