Jaipur, 19 August : The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed a PIL filed against the non-conducting of student union elections in the state’s universities and colleges this year. A division bench of CJ AG Masih and Justice Sameer Jain gave the order while hearing a PIL filed by advocate Shantanu Pareek. Expressing displeasure for presenting the PIL on behalf of the court, it was said that you are withdrawing the petition or we should dismiss it with damages. On this, the petitioner withdrew the PIL.
During the hearing, the court asked the petitioner about the matter of public interest in the petition. which the petitioner could not answer. The court also said that it is a publication interest petition and not a public interest petition. On being asked by the court, the petitioner stated that he is an advocate by profession and posts videos on social media for legal awareness. On this, the court said that the only problem is that they are taking it as publicity. On the right to organise student union elections, the court said that students are aware of their rights. If they feel it, they will present a petition to the High Court. Apart from this, the state government decides on the basis of the circumstances regarding the conduct of elections. The government has not even banned elections.
The PIL said that students have a fundamental right to elect their representative through student union elections. They got this right from Article 19(1)(a) and Article 21 of the Constitution. In one case, the Supreme Court gave it the status of a fundamental right. The state government has decided not to conduct the student union elections due to irrational and unconstitutional reasons only through a circular, which is wrong. In this circular, it has been said that due to the implementation of higher education policy, delays in examination results at many universities, and delayed admission in the current academic session, the teaching job has become challenging. In such a situation, it has been decided not to conduct the student union elections.
At the same time, the government has also said that the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee are not being implemented. While it is the responsibility of the state government, university administration, and college administration to follow these recommendations, Every university has made rules for a code of conduct based on the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee, and if these rules are violated, there is a provision for action as per the rules. In such a situation, student union elections should be conducted in the universities and colleges of the state.
