JNU has sought contempt action against its students and the police for allegedly violating a high court order barring protests within 100 metres of the university’s administrative block

The Delhi High Court on Friday described as “shocking” that the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) had no idea about academic details of the students against whom it has filed a contempt petition for protesting within 100 metres of its administrative block.

Justice A.K. Chawla directed the university to file an affidavit giving details of the students named in the contempt petition, including their courses, its status and duration of stay in the campus.

The court listed the matter for hearing next Friday.

JNU, represented by central government standing counsel Monika Arora, has sought contempt action against its students and the police for allegedly violating a high court order barring protests within 100 metres of the university’s administrative block.

In its plea, the varsity has claimed that the students “grossly violated” the August 9, 2017, order of the high court by holding a protest within 100 metres of the administrative block and affecting its day-to-day working, which has been disrupted since October 28.

It has also claimed that the police also violated the order by refusing and failing to take action to maintain law and order in the university and remove the blockade around the administrative block.