Kerala HC directs varsity syndicates to formulate a mechanism to regulate political activities on campuses

Kochi: High court has directed the syndicates of all universities in Kerala to formulate a mechanism to regulate the political activities of students on campus and to ensure that discipline is maintained.The court further directed that all other universities shall frame appropriate rules and place the same before the court on or before March 4. A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V M Syam Kumar issued the order while hearing petitions filed by N Prakash of Maradu, Dr S Ganapathy of Kollam, and L S Ajoy of Chengannur, which sought a ban on student politics on college campuses. The petitioners highlighted several incidents of campus violence across the state, including the murder of M Abhimanyu, an SFI leader at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam.While hearing the petitions, HC noted that it is the responsibility of universities and colleges to ensure that no untoward incidents occur on their campuses, emphasising that discipline in universities is both necessary and desirable. The court also observed that there were earlier directions to universities to formulate long-term regulatory measures or mechanisms to address "political conflicts" among students.The Mahatma Gandhi University has already framed the Mahatma Gandhi University Students' Code of Conduct Rules, 2005, to maintain and enforce good conduct within classrooms and across the campuses of affiliated colleges, the department of teaching and research and self-financing schools of the university. The court also opined that other universities may consider the aforesaid 2005 Rules as model rules while framing their own and adjourned the petitions to March 4.