Teachers, JNU must resolve issue of disbanding of GSCASH: HC

New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked some JNU teachers, who have challenged the university's decision to disband the sexual harassment panel, to meet the administration and try to resolve the issue.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Pratibha M Singh also asked Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to maintain status quo on the sealing of the office of Gender Sensitisation Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) committee which has been superceded by an internal complaints committee (ICC).

While the court asked the varsity not to make it a prestige issue, it also observed that every rule and policy can be changed but a proper procedure has to be followed.

"You (teachers) cannot say that the earlier policy was better than this one.

Teachers are not administration. Certainly you have a role to say but you cannot say that the policy cannot be changed," the bench said. During the hearing,
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain and advocate Ginny J Rautray, appearing for JNU, urged the court to hear the issue of opening of sealed rooms of the panel's office as 12 cases of sexual harassment have been received after the new regime has taken over.

To this, the court said it would be heard on November 28 when the main petition is listed for hearing. The petition by some teachers and students had opposed the quashing of the office orders superseding the GSCASH by the ICC and a Registrar's circular putting on hold the election of the students' representatives to it.