High Court Intervention in Sanskrit University Suspensions: Students Can Challenge University’s Stand; To Consider Plea on Monday

Kochi: The Kerala High Court will consider on Monday a petition filed by students of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, who were unjustly suspended, seeking the withdrawal of the suspension. The court said the students could challenge the decision of the university and Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas to revoke the suspension if they submitted an apology. Justice PV Kunhikrishnan directed the students to amend their petition to include this aspect.

The university had submitted an affidavit the other day, justifying the suspension of 16 students. It informed the court that 12 students could be reinstated if they tendered an apology. It also stated that the suspension of four students had been extended by another two months. When the petition came up for consideration on Friday, the court informed the students’ counsel about the affidavit and directed them to amend the petition.

SFI state secretary PS Sanjeev said the High Court’s intervention offered hope. He said the suspension itself was illegal and that all the allegations levelled against the students were unsubstantiated lies. There was no FIR alleging an attack on the syndicate, nor was there any evidence of an attack on the Vice-Chancellor, he said.

The students had been unjustly suspended on charges of offences they had not committed, Sanjeev added. He added that the petition would be amended to establish that the university’s action was wrong.