India News | HC Directs AMU to File Counter Affidavit to Plea Seeking Holding of Students' Union Polls

Prayagraj, Dec 3 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has directed the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to file a counter affidavit to a plea seeking holding of students' union elections.

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed by a student, Kaif Hasan, alleging that AMU authorities have failed to hold students' union elections since 2019 and that it is violating the students' rights and democratic principles.

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During a hearing in the case on November 18, the high court had directed the AMU's counsel to seek reply with regard to the averments raised in the PIL.

When the case was taken up on November 29, the court found that the reply provided by the AMU was not serving the purpose.

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Consequently, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra observed, "Pursuant to the order passed by this court, reply produced on behalf of the University, inter alia, indicating that the University will conduct the election at appropriate time. However, the said reply does not answer the plea raised in the writ petition".

The court thereafter directed the AMU authorities to file a counter affidavit to the PIL by the next date of hearing on January 9, 2025.

In the PIL, the petitioner has said that as per the AMU Act 1920 and the Lyngdoh Committee's recommendations, the premier institution is bound to conduct students' union elections annually within the stipulated time frame. It may be noted that AMU has not held students' union elections for the last six years, the plea said.

The petition has also stated that the AMU has received a huge amount of grants from the University Grants Commission, which also includes funds for the students' union polls. However, the same has not been appropriately used, it alleged.

The petitioner has further stated that students have made representations before the concerned authorities but until now, no significant response has been given by the authorities.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)