Court relief for students debarred from taking exam for stealing chips, pens; told to do social work
Panaji (PTI): The Goa bench of Bombay High Court has directed two engineering students to do community service for two hours daily for two months, giving them relief from strict action by their college after they apparently stole items like potato chips, chocolates, pens during a conference.
The bench comprising Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice M S Sonak on Monday set aside the decision of Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, Goa campus, to debar the students from appearing for their semester examination.
The bench instead directed the students, both aged 18, to perform community service for two hours every day at an old-age home in Goa for two months.
As per the court order, five students, including the two petitioners, were alleged to have stolen potato chips, chocolates, sanitisers, pens, notepads, cellphone stands, two desk lamps, and three Bluetooth speakers from stalls during a conference on the college campus in November 2023.
After being caught, the students had claimed that they were under the impression that the items were abandoned there.
As per the case papers, the students returned the items and apologised in writing for their conduct.
The standing panel of the institute had debarred all five students from registration for three semesters while imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of them.
They challenged the decision before the director of the institution who revoked the cancellation of semesters for three students but maintained the fine.
However, in the case of two other students, the director maintained the Rs 50,000 fine and said they wouldn’t be allowed to take exams during semester one (2023-24).
The students then approached the high court.
During the hearing of the students’ petitions, the HC deferred its decision on two occasions to enable the BITS director to reconsider the punishment of cancellation of the semester. But that did not happen.
In its final order on Monday, the HC said it got the impression that the director was irked by the fact that the students had dared to seek court intervention against his decision.
The judges said that though they were hurt by this approach of the “director of an Institute of Eminence”, they have refrained from saying anything more.
“... we are mindful that the two petitioners before us have to complete their education with the respondents for the next few years and not be scarred for life due to indiscretion or even indiscipline indulged by them on this one occasion,” they said in the order.
The judges said that ordinarily, courts must be slow to interfere with the internal affairs of a “university, particularly on issues concerning disciplinary proceedings against students”.
The HC said an institute cannot claim immunity on the principle that courts should be slow in interfering in such matters if it acts contrary to its own guidelines, ignores UGC (University Grants Commission) directives, discriminates between two sets of students and “breaches the principles of natural justice and fair play”.
“..When it is found that there is discrimination in a matter of imposition of penalties or, where the penalties imposed are in breach of guidelines enacted by the Institute itself or where the penalty imposed excludes considerations of reformation, the Institute cannot claim any immunity from judicial review,” said the court.
The court said there is not much material as such to distinguish between the role played by the petitioners and the other three students.
Still, accepting the institute's case that there was some difference, this is a fit case where the petitioners, in addition to payment of a fine of Rs 50,000, must undertake community service for two hours each day for two months, the court said.
The bench then directed the students to undertake community service at an old-age home near their institute at Majorda village in South Goa.
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KSCA expresses disappointment over missing IPL playoffs, says it was ready to host matches in B’luru
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has issued a clarification stating that it was fully prepared to host the IPL playoffs and final matches in Bengaluru but the fixtures were allotted to other venues.
In a media note, KSCA said it was disappointed with the decision. The association stated that its president, former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, had been in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and had formally conveyed the association’s readiness and interest in hosting the matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
KSCA said the IPL matches held in Bengaluru this season were appreciated for smooth conduct, crowd management and overall experience for spectators. It said this reflected its ability to handle high-profile matches.
The association also stated that it had sent a detailed communication to the BCCI explaining its preparedness and the operational arrangements followed during the current IPL season. According to KSCA, these systems have been in place since the start of the Indian Premier League in 2008 and were followed consistently, including during previous playoff matches hosted in Bengaluru.
The clarification added that the communication sent to the BCCI was only meant to provide factual and operational details and to bring clarity on logistical and stakeholder-related requirements involved in hosting such matches.
KSCA said that although it had shown willingness and preparedness, the BCCI has decided to allocate the playoff matches to other venues. It added that the reasons for this decision have not been formally shared with the association, but it respects the authority of the board in taking such decisions.
The association further said it remains ready to host matches of national and international importance and will continue to cooperate with the BCCI, franchises, government authorities and other stakeholders for conducting cricket events.
The statement was issued by KSCA official spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya, who also thanked the media and cricket fans for their continued support.
