Delhi High Court Stays ₹19,000 JNU Fines, Says Students Have a Valuable Right to Dissent

The Delhi High Court has drawn a distinction between actual misconduct and peaceful expressions of solidarity with a student protest.

Disciplinary action challenged

JNU issued show-cause notices and later imposed ₹19,000 fines on eight students. Some were accused of shaking camera stands and cheering students involved in vandalising a facial-recognition system; others were accused of supporting the protest by clapping and sloganeering.

The students denied participating in the alleged acts and challenged the Proctorial Committee's orders.

Right to dissent

Justice Jasmeet Singh observed that the right of students to express dissent, demonstrate and show support for a demonstration is a valuable right. On the material shown at the interim stage, the Court said merely smiling at protestors could not amount to indiscipline.

The Court described the impugned action as capable of striking at the students' fundamental rights if allowed to operate before the challenge was examined.

Interim relief

The fines were stayed until the next hearing, scheduled for January 12, 2027. The order is interim and does not finally decide the disciplinary proceedings.

Case: Mr C Arjun & Ors. v. Jawaharlal Nehru University

Bench: Justice Jasmeet Singh

Advocates: Abhik Chimni and team for the petitioners; Ginny Jetley Rautray, Senior Standing Counsel, with Arnav Tandon for JNU.

Source: Read source report