SC to Hear Plea against Lyngdoh Committee Report on July 23

The Supreme Court will hear on July 23 a plea challenging a recommendation made by the Lyngdoh Committee, which stipulates that a candidate cannot contest more than once for the position of an office bearer of a students’ union.

The plea was mentioned before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan.

“Counsel for the respondent(s) seeks and is granted four weeks’ time to file the counter affidavit, if so required. Post the matter on July 23,” the order stated.

In compliance with an order of the apex court, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development formed a committee under J M Lyngdoh, a former chief election commissioner (CEC), to provide recommendations on matters concerning student bodies and student union elections held in universities, colleges, and other higher education institutions throughout India. The committee submitted its report on May 26, 2006.

The apex court is hearing a plea filed by Uttarakhand resident Naveen Prakash Nautiyal and others against recommendation 6.5.6 of the Lyngdoh Committee.

This recommendation specifies, “The candidate shall have one opportunity to contest for the post of office bearer, and two opportunities to contest for the post of an executive member.”

On February 12, the apex court sought responses from the Centre and others regarding the plea. The panel’s recommendations were endorsed by the Supreme Court, which directed on September 22, 2006, that they must be implemented by all colleges and universities for student union elections held thereafter.