If the university sticks to its decision, the matter can be heard on merits, the court said. Kerala High Court adjourned the petition to next Friday to enable the university to take a decision on the matter.
Kochi: Kerala High Court on Wednesday criticised Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, for its demand that the 16 suspended students apologise for allegedly staging a mock cremation of vice-chancellor Ciza Thomas during a protest. But they have suffered for 60 days and were not allowed to write the examination.
If the university sticks to its decision, the matter can be heard on merits, the court said. “They are students. Which politicians or leaders have not engaged in such activities as protests during their student days? The court has never supported, accepted or justified such protests. Why don’t you interfere in the matter? What do they have to do to write the exam?” the court asked the university’s senior counsel. It also observed that the students and their parents would be the ultimate sufferers, whatever be the outcome. The court questioned the maintainability of two FIRs registered against the students over the protest. The state clarified that one FIR concerned an alleged attack on a police officer, while the other was registered on a complaint lodged by the vice-chancellor. HC adjourned the petition to next Friday to enable the university to take a decision on the matter.
However, a division bench later set it aside. Supreme Court, on an appeal, remanded the case to the single bench and directed it to decide the matter afresh after hearing the parties expeditiously.
Earlier, the single bench had passed an interim order provisionally permitting the petitioners to appear for the examination.