Gujarat HC Takes Suo Motu Cognizance of Queer Student Harassment at GNLU

The Gujarat High Court on Monday took suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report detailing two incidents at the Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) in Gandhinagar.

These incidents involve the harassment of a male student based on his sexual orientation and the alleged rape of a female student by a fellow batchmate.

A division bench comprising Justices AS Supehia and MR Mengdey expressed grave concern over the report, recognizing its potential impact on the psychological and physical well-being of students.As a result, the court issued a notice to the university’s registrar and head of academic affairs. The newspaper report highlighted the existence of an inactive internal complaint committee (ICC) at the university and stated that no formal complaints had been received from the affected students.

The court disagreed with the university’s lack of action due to the absence of formal complaints and deemed it an incorrect approach. The court directed the university to identify the students involved and record their statements, emphasizing the importance of maintaining complete confidentiality.

It specified that a female member or professor of the university must record the statement of the female student. If the allegations are found to be credible and trustworthy, the court instructed the university to take immediate action within the bounds of the law.

The court also requested information on the university’s norms, standard procedures, or regulations for addressing harassment or ragging incidents involving students. The incidents reported in the newspaper on September 22 relate to the distress experienced by two GNLU students.

One male student faced mental trauma due to harassment based on his sexual orientation, while the other female student alleged rape by a fellow student from the same batch. The court took suo motu cognizance of the report to address these serious concerns affecting the students’ well-being.