ANTONY THOMAS Vs. V. M. MUHAMMED RAFIQUE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Court in the case of Sojan Francis Vs. M.G.University (2003 KHC 458) and in the case of S.N.M. College Vs. S.I. of Police (2007 (1) KLT 282) had held thus:

(2.) The same principle was recently reiterated by this Court by order dated 10.10.2017 in Contempt Case (C) No.1597 of 2017. Thus, this Court has been consistently holding that educational institutions cannot be turned into a political battle ground. In an educational institution, there cannot be politics. Any individual student interested in politics is free to indulge in his interest, but, outside the educational institution. These institutions are teaching and learning institutions. The Police would be duty bound to give all assistance in the matter so that upon timely intervention, the Dharnas and Vandalism is put under control. This is what we said in paragraph 2 of our recent decision as well.

(3.) In this matter, the complaint is that a similar order of protection was granted by this Court at the instance of the college in the year 2014. It was virtually a continuing mandamus to the Police. But they complain that on a matter of condoning shortage of attendance beyond the permissible limit, students vandalised the office of the Principal, gheraoed him for hours and SFI activists also joined them. The Police came but did not act for some time, giving opportunity to the students not only to embarrass but harass the college authorities. In this melee that had continued, outsiders also intervened and joined the students.