Ensure no dharna is held at AMU's 3 main points, HC to Aligarh admin

LUCKNOW: Allahabad High Court has directed the DM and SSP of Aligarh to ensure that no person is allowed to convene, hold, attend, join or address or take part in procession or join any kind of ‘dharna-pradarshan’ (protest) or rally at three main points in the university, i.e., the main gate of the administrative block, within 100-meter radius of the administrative block and vice-chancellor’s official residence on the campus.

Disposing of a petition filed by AMU through its registrar that alleged continuous dharna by students at the main gate, which has hampered the day-to-day functioning of the university, a division bench comprising Justice Shashi Kant Gupta and Justice Pankaj Bhatia also directed the AMU authorities to earmark an area where the students can congregate freely and in a peaceful manner to protest.

“The said area shall be earmarked by the university authorities after consultation with the district administration. The AMU is further permitted to install closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) in front of the administrative block and other relevant area so that there shall be a clear view of the area around the administrative block including the main gate,” the court added.

Passing the above directives, the court further directed the police/administrative authorities to assist the university authorities in maintaining law and order on the university campus and deal with the matter tactfully.

“We hope and trust that the the university authorities and the district administration would cooperate with each other and see that the atmosphere on the university campus is not vitiated,” the court added. The petitioner had requested the court to direct the Aligarh district administration to undertake immediate steps for removal of illegal protesters, who are holding a dharna at the main gate of the administrative block of the university, and to restore law and order in the university premises.

As per facts of the case, the examination for admission to PhD programme at the university for the session 2015-2019 were held in January 2019 in which various aspirants applied for being admitted. The result of the said exam was published in April. Thereafter, the academic session for the year 2018-2019 commenced. It is alleged that certain candidates, who were unsuccessful in the aforesaid exam, resorted to unlawful activities and started a dharna at the administrative block.

According to the petitioner, the district authorities failed to act despite repeated requests.

Refusing to accept the contention of the state government counsel that no activity forbidden by law is going on near the administrative block and at the main gate of the university and everything is going on very peacefully in a cordial atmosphere, the court observed: “It cannot be accepted. Had it been true or had there not been any acute problem, the Aligarh Muslim University , which is a very renowned university of the state, would not have approached this court for seeking appropriate direction in the matter.”

This order was passed on May 17.