DU students asked to wear 'angvastra' on convocation
New Delhi, Feb 4: The 99th convocation of Delhi University is going to be different as students will be seen in Indian attires with 'angvastras' (stole) instead of the "old colonial gowns."
The varsity will hold its 99th convocation on February 25, according to an official notification. The varsity has decided to renounce the robes to adopt an attire "inspired by Indian culture," a senior varsity official said.
The official told PTI about the change in the dress code, saying the students will be provided 'angvastras' and there will be no graduation cap or gown.
For officials and guests, the attire will be made of khadi silk, another way to promote Indian traditions and culture.
Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh said: "The robe or gown had been there for quite a long time. The university felt the need to change the way. Students will be dressed in 'angvastras' and officials in an outfit made of Khadi silk, it is like going back to our roots."
Though it will not be mandatory for students to wear Indian attire, the varsity is requesting them to choose traditional attires such as kurta and saree.
"This year instead of gown or robes, we have decided to adopt a traditional style with different colours of angvastras for students of graduation, postgraduate, and PhD courses," the official told PTI.
All officials, including the chief guest, will be given traditional attire made of khadi silk, he said.
The matter was presented before the Executive Council in December 2022. "Everybody in the meeting appreciated the move," the official added.
The convocation ceremony will begin at 9.30 am at Multipurpose Hall, Delhi University Sports Stadium Complex, the notification said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
HC questions Delhi govt over failure to regulate sale of old vehicles, refers to Red Fort blast
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court questioned the city government on Wednesday over its failure to regulate the sale and transfer of used vehicles, while pointing out that in a recent bomb blast near the Red Fort, a second-hand car was used, making the issue more significant.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the Delhi government to file a detailed response on the issue of regulating authorised dealers of registered vehicles.
"A car changes four hands but the original owner has not changed. Therefore, what happens? That man (the original owner) goes to the slaughterhouse? What is this? How are you permitting this? You will take a call when two-three more bomb blasts take place?" the bench asked the Delhi government's counsel.
The bomb blast near the iconic Mughal-era monument was carried out using a second-hand car, making the issue even more significant, it said.
The court listed the matter for further hearing in January 2026.
ALSO READ: Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) plea filed by an organisation, Towards Happy Earth Foundation, highlighting the challenges in the implementation of rules 55A to 55H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, introduced in December 2022 to regulate authorised dealers of registered vehicles.
While the rules were intended to bring accountability to the second-hand vehicle market, the petitioner's counsel argued that they have failed in practice due to regulatory gaps and procedural hurdles.
The plea said there is a major gap in the amended framework, that is, the absence of any statutory mechanism for reporting dealer-to-dealer transfers.
"In reality, most used vehicles pass through multiple dealers before reaching the final buyer, but the rules recognise only the first transfer to the initial authorised dealer.
"As a result, the chain of custody breaks after the first step, defeating the very purpose of accountability," the petition said.
It added that because of these gaps, only a very small percentage of dealers across India have been able to obtain authorised dealer registration and in Delhi, not a single dealer has got it.
Consequently, lakhs of vehicles continue to circulate without any record of who is actually in possession of those, it said.
The plea said only a small fraction of India's estimated 30,000 to 40,000 used-vehicle dealers are registered under the authorised-dealer framework.
The petition also pointed out that the 11-year-old vehicle used in the November 10 bomb blast near the Red Fort was sold several times but was still registered in its original owner's name.
The blast near the Red Fort had claimed 15 lives.
