Why shouldn't we initiate contempt? HC asks as DU promises results by Nov 30
New Delhi: Rapping Delhi University for its failure to comply with an order directing it to declare undergraduate and postgraduate results on or before October 31, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the varsity to explain as to why it shouldn't initiate contempt proceedings for the same.
The observations came while the division bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad was hearing an application moved by law student Prateek Sharma, represented by Advocate HS Hora, where he alleged that the October 12 order given by the same bench, where the varsity submitted a timeline for the declaration of UG and PG courses on or before October 31, had not been adhered to.
"Why don't we issue you a show cause to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against you?" Justice Kohli remarked, adding, "You are in gross non-compliance of an order passed by this bench."
The application moved by Sharma claims that results for 16 PG courses have not yet been declared while expressing grievance about the "botched up marks and the way exams have been conducted." He has also alleged that students had to come to college to physically collect their mark sheets.
In response, Advocate Mohinder Rupal, on behalf of the varsity, claimed that results for 78 UG courses have been declared while six are still remaining. Rupal also claimed that results for three more courses will be declared today (Tuesday) while the rest will be declared by November 30.
Referring to the remaining courses, Justice Kohli orally observed, "That is a lot! You had given us a timeline to declare the results."
Meanwhile, the court also expressed reservation with the petitioner filing an application in a decided judgment. "Answer us on the maintainability of the petition in a decided matter," the court said. While deferring the order on the application for Advocate Rupal to obtain instructions from DU, the court remarked, "Your neck is on the board if you don't do it," while listing the matter for December 2.
On October 12, the bench had, while disposing of the petition, directed the varsity to upload the students' mark sheets on the website and avoid the physical collection of the same. In an earlier order, it had directed DU to expedite the evaluation of online open-book exams (OBE) and declared the same by early October.
