Delhi HC Directs JNU to Provide Interim Accommodation to Visually Impaired Student

The Delhi High Court has directed the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to allow a visually impaired student, who was evicted from the hostel, to stay in a guest house on the campus without charging any money for the time being.

A bench of Justice Hari Shankar passed the order after the student’s counsel informed that he was provided interim accommodation by JNU in compliance with the court’s earlier order but was being charged Rs 100 per day, which was beyond his financial means. The lawyer stated that the student is 100 percent blind.

The Court granted a final opportunity of 10 days to the university to file a response to the petition challenging the eviction of Sanjeev Kumar Mishra from the hostel on the ground that the applicable rules do not permit hostel accommodation to a student pursuing a second postgraduate course.

Advocate Rahul Bajaj, representing the petitioner, argued that this rule cannot be universally applied without considering the physical disabilities individual students may have. He mentioned that the petitioner was sleeping on library benches and had no place to stay during the day.

On January 4, the court had issued notice to JNU, asking it to file a response within a week. However, neither a response was filed nor any lawyer appeared for the authorities during the hearing on January 22. JNU’s counsel had submitted on January 4 that if the petitioner had no place to stay, the university would be willing to offer him some accommodation until the next date of hearing. The court clarified that this interim arrangement was only to ensure that the petitioner was not subjected to continued hardship and would be subject to the outcome of his petition.

On January 22, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that JNU was charging Rs 100 per day from Mishra for the room provided on the campus. The court then directed the university to “permit the petitioner to stay in the room till the next date of hearing without charging him any fees.” The matter was listed for further hearing and disposal on February 12, with instructions for the parties to file their written submissions.