Former Supreme Court Judge V Ramasubramanian Appointed as Observer for JNUSU Polls

In a significant development, the Delhi High Court has appointed former Supreme Court Judge V Ramasubramanian as an ‘observer’ to oversee the activities of the election committee formed for the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) elections for the 2023-24 academic year.

This decision came in response to a petition filed by a student, where Justice Sachin Datta also directed the grievance redressal cell, established as per the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, to examine and address grievances regarding the constitution of the election committee before announcing the final results.

The petitioner alleged that the election committee’s formation deviated from the rules, asserting that the committee was biased towards candidates aligned with certain ideological and political beliefs.

The court, acknowledging the urgency due to the impending election schedule, directed the grievance redressal cell to address the petitioner’s concerns before the final results are declared.

The JNUSU elections are slated for March 22, with results expected on March 24.

The petitioner, Sakshi, raised various issues regarding the election process, including the authorization of two students, Aishe Ghosh and Md Danish, to conduct the General Body Meeting (GBM) and the composition of the election committee.

The petition sought a directive to conduct fresh GBMs in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the Lyngdoh Committee Report to uphold the integrity and trust in the JNUSU elections.

The Supreme Court’s endorsement of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations in 2005 aimed to ensure fairness and transparency in student union elections across universities nationwide.

With the appointment of Justice V Ramasubramanian as an observer and the intervention of the grievance redressal cell, the Delhi High Court endeavors to uphold the principles of fairness and adherence to established guidelines in the JNUSU electoral process.

This move underscores the judiciary’s commitment to preserving the integrity of democratic processes within educational institutions.

This article focuses on the appointment of Justice V Ramasubramanian as an observer for the JNUSU elections, addressing the concerns raised by a petitioner regarding the election committee’s constitution. It highlights the court’s efforts to ensure transparency and fairness in student union elections. Let me know if you need further details or modifications.