Kerala will ban campus politics, HC told by State government

Student files contempt of court petition against government

The State government on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that it proposed to ban political activities in colleges.

In an affidavit, the government said no student organisation would be allowed to function on the campus without the permission of the principal. The government said that CCTV cameras could be installed on the campus to maintain discipline, if the college authority was of the opinion that it would serve the interests of the institution.

But at the same time, it should not be prejudicial to the larger interests of the students. The government pointed out that student organisations such as the SFI, KSU, ABVP and the AISF had not been recognised by any university.

The government also said that it proposed to take additional measures for the maintenance of discipline on the campus. These could be implemented by the authorities or institutional heads after making suitable amendments to the existing rules.

Police assistance

The government further submitted that the right to freedom of expression on the campus was subject to the maintenance of peaceful academic atmosphere. No student organisation shall make a call for strike or campaign and carry out the same inside the campus.

Action should be taken against those who violated the rules. The principal could seek the assistance of the police to conduct classes if classes were disrupted. The violent reaction of students should be viewed as acts of gross indiscipline and should be dealt with firmly. Neither student organisations nor students shall indulge in violence on the campus.

The government said the percentage of attendance stipulated by the university shall not be relaxed under any circumstance and the principal should ensure that every student complied with the attendance requirements prior to his/her promotion to the next class. Monthly attendance of every student shall be displayed on the notice boards. The statement was filed in a contempt of court petition filed by Prakasan, a student of Government Law College, Ernakulam, for the government’s failure to implement a judgment banning campus politics.