Hyderabad: NALSAR law students in Hyderabad demanded that they do not want Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant as the chief guest for their convocation ceremony.
In a representation submitted to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, professors and the administration, around 70 students of the outgoing batch of 2026 urged them to reconsider inviting the CJI for the ceremony.
In NALSAR’s tradition, the Chief Justice of India delivers the convocation address.
The representation, submitted on July 23, cited CJI Surya Kant’s reluctance to take a suo motu case when protesting students at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar were lathicharged, assaulted with electric batons, harassed and, in some cases, showered with pellet bullets by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Delhi Police.
“We are not interested in videos. We don’t have time to watch them. Don’t waste our time, and don’t waste your time,” was the CJI’s response.
NALSAR students, including members of the Students Bar Council, said, “As law students, our concern is specific to our graduating batch. A convocation should reflect the university’s commitment to constitutional rights, access to justice, and reasoned engagement with grievances. Receiving our degrees from a dignitary whose recent public conduct, as reported, appears dismissive of serious allegations of police brutality against protesting citizens sits uneasily with the values we have been taught at NALSAR.”
According to The Hindu, two days after the representation was submitted, around 380 students of classes of 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031 extended their support.
The university is yet to announce the date of convocation or confirm the chief guest’s presence.
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