Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has formed a four-member committee to assist the Vice-Chancellor in hearing appeals from the students who had been found guilty of indiscipline by the High level Enquiry Committee (HlEC) in the controversial February 9 event.
“The Vice-Chancellor has formed a committee to assist him in his capacity as the Appellate authority to hear the appeals from students who had been found guilty by the HlEC of violating various University rules during the February 9, 2016 incident on the campus,” JNU PRO, Poonam Kudaisya stated in a Press release on Thursday.
The members of the committee include Prof Vibha Tandon, Prof Priyadarsi Mukherji, Krishnendra Meena and Md Qutbuddin.
JNU was at the centre of a controversy in February this year because of an event on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. The students had gone on an indefinite hunger strike against the decision which lasted for 16 days. As the varsity refused to relent and withdraw the punitive action proposed against the students despite their failing health, some students moved the Delhi High Court challenging the action.
Following this, the High Court issued directions to JNUSU to immediately withdraw the hunger strike and to not launch any fresh agitation. It had stayed action against the students till their appeals have been decided by the appellate authority.
“The proceedings have begun from today and the concerned students have been asked to depose before the appellate authority,” the statement added.