New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday observed that the National Law University, Delhi had prima facie taken the decision of 50 per cent horizontal reservation for students who have passed the requisite examinations from institutes in the Capital region from the 2020-21 session was made "in haste without acting in accordance with the NLU Act" and seemingly under pressure from the Delhi government.
While staying the January 14 order of the NLUD Vice Chancellor to reserve 50 per cent of its seats, a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad asked the NLUD to issue a fresh admission notification on or before July 2. The court's interim order came on a plea by NLUD students and alumni who challenged the reservation decision saying it "strikes at the heart of national character and the standards of excellence" of the university.
The last date for submission of application form was June 30, 2020, the petition had said. The court listed the matter for further hearing on August 18. One of the petitioners Pia Singh said she intended to pursue LLM from NLUD after graduating from a university in Rajasthan.
The petition also challenges NLUD's move to increase the seat intake from 80 to 120, saying it was against the express decision of the varsity's governing council and there was also lack of infrastructure like residential hostels for students, accommodation for teaching and other staff and classrooms.
The plea has claimed that the new admission policy, which provides for the reservation and increased intake, was bad in law as it was notified on January 14, 2020, without approval of the governing council, the plenary authority of NLUD.
Delhi government standing counsel Ramesh Singh had questioned the locus standi of the alumni to move such a plea and the court directed that their names be removed from the petition.