Panjab University student moves HC, challenges affidavit restricting right to protest as unconstitutional

Petitioner Parmpreet Singh has argued that clauses successful university’s admittance handbook compel students to taxable an undertaking curtailing peaceful protests, failing which they hazard punishment

The petitioner has urged the High Court to intervene and onslaught down the impugned affidavit provisions with contiguous effect. Tribune file

Contending that Panjab University’s mandatory affidavit for students infringes cardinal rights, a instrumentality pupil has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking to quash clauses requiring anterior support for protests and threatening terrible penalties for violations.

Petitioner Parmpreet Singh, a instrumentality student, has argued that clauses successful the university’s admittance handbook compel students to taxable an undertaking curtailing peaceful protests, failing which they hazard punishments ranging from field bans to debarment from examinations.

The petition filed done counsel Bharat Bhandari, Vinay Yadav and different advocates is yet to travel up for hearing.

The petition asserts the affidavit is “unconstitutional, ultra vires, vague and arbitrary,” violating Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution. “There is nary designated authorization to determine what constitutes ‘genuine grievances,’ nor is the word defined anyplace successful the handbook,” the petition states.

He adds the mattes successful which the assemblage itself has to determine whether protests are permissible volition pb to clash of interest, particularly erstwhile grievances are directed against the institution.

He adds that the conditions imposed “silence dissent” and tally antagonistic to the intent of a assemblage arsenic a abstraction fostering statement and captious thought.

He has urged the High Court to intervene and onslaught down the impugned affidavit provisions with contiguous effect.