3 min readNew DelhiFeb 26, 2026 02:40 AM IST
The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notices to the Union Ministry of Education as well as the Delhi Police and Delhi University (DU) in a plea challenging the legality of a notification issued by the university on February 17 that prohibits public assembly of five or more persons, thereby effectively curtailing demonstrations, protests or any gatherings on DU’s college campuses for a month.
DU had issued the order after a stir over UGC rules on caste discrimination turned violent on the university campus.
Following the notification-cum-order issued by the office of the proctor of DU, several colleges affiliated to it, including Kirori Mal College and Dyal Singh College, have issued consequential orders “reinforcing the prohibition in aggravated manner”, petitioner Uday Bhadoria, who is a student at Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law, has submitted.
Taken up before the court of Justice Jasmeet Singh on Wednesday, DU’s counsel Mohinder Rupal, however, opposed the plea, submitting that the petition is in the nature of a public interest litigation. The court, while adding Delhi Police too as a necessary party to the petition, issued notices to the authorities, and directed that the petition be treated as a PIL.
The petition will now be taken up by a division bench headed by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya on March 10.
Bhadoria, in his plea, also submitted that the DU’s move restricts free movement, speech and expression, and that imposition of such a ban on gatherings has led to either cancellation or postponement of events, seminars or annual fests planned by the college or any department.
Bhadoria, represented by advocates Abhishek Rai and Aman Rawat, has also contended that such a notification has been issued “without any consultation, or discussion with the students elected body union of the university, or colleges, or teachers elected representatives in the teacher’s union, or elected executive council members or elected academic council members of the university”.
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Notably, following the DU notification, Kirori Mal College, in a consequential order, had also “advised” students “not to post, share, or circulate any controversial, sensitive, or provocative content on social media platforms or WhatsApp groups that may disturb harmony, create discord, or affect the peaceful environment of the college”.
