Jugal Phukan and 59 Ors v. The State of Assam and 5 Ors

PageoNo.#o1/17 GAHC010157202024 ooooooo ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/3925/2024o JUGALoPHUKANoANDo59oORSo S/OoDIPENoPHUKANo DEPT.oENGLISH,o3RDoSEMESTER,o R/OoMORANHAT,oDIST.oTINSUKIA,oASSAM 2:oMANASHoSAIKIA oS/O-BOGENoSAIKIA oDEPT.oASSAMESE o3RDoSEMESTER oR/O-LAKHIMPUR.o DIST.oLAKHIMPUR 3:oBHASKARoPRATIMoGOGOI oS/O-oBIPULoKUMARoGOGOI.o DEPT.oPHYSICS oI.oM.oSCo7THoSEMESTER o R/O-oKHELMATI oDIST.oLAKHIMPUR 4:oSUPRATIMoSENAPATI oS/O-oSUSHILoSENAPATI.o DEPT.oENGLISH R/O-oNAKAVANI oDIST.oSIBSAGAR oASSAM. 5:oDHRUBAoJYOTIoGOGOI oS/O-oMANURANJANoGOGOI.o DEPT.oLIFEoSCIENCE PageoNo.#o2/17 o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-oHILOITARI oDIST.oLAKHIMPUR oASSAM. 6:oHARISHoSINGH oS/O-oGULAPoSINGH.o DEPT.oPHYSICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-BOGIBILL oJAGALONIoGRANT.o DIST.oDIBRUGARH 7:oPRATAPoBARIK oS/O-oPROBINoBARIK.o DEPT.oSOCIOLOGY R/O-oMAJULI oDIST.oMAJULI oASSAM. 8:oPRANJIToSAIKIA oS/O-LATEoBHARAToSAIKIA o DEPT.oCOMMERCE R/O-GOLAGHAT oCHANDMARI oPURBANCHALoPATH oDIST.oGOLAGHAT 9:oANKURoPRASADoBORGOHAIN oS/O-GIRISHoBORGOHAIN.o DEPT.oCOMMERCE R/O-GOLAGHAT oJONAKIoNAGARo2.NOoBANoGAON oDIST.oGOLAGHAT oASSAM. 10:oSARANGAoBORAH oS/O-KESHABoBORAHo DEPT.oPHYSICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-oNO.o1oBORBALI PageoNo.#o3/17 oPOoBORBALI oPS.oBORBALI oDIST.oLAKHIMPUR 11:oKANKANoJYOTIoBORUAH oS/O-oHORENoBARUAHo DEPT.oHISTORY o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-oDERGAONo DIST.oGOLAGHAT 12:oKARANoDOLAKASHARIA oS/O-LILAoDOLAKASHARIAo DEPT.oPHYSICS o1SToSEMESTER.o R/O-oLAKHIMPUR oDIST.oLAKHIMPUR 13:oRIDIPoBORAH oS/O-oRAMENoBORAHo DEPT.oHISTORY o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-oDOOMDOOMA oDIST.oTINSUKIA o ASSAM. 14:oRUPAMoMORAN oS/O-MANDHIRoMORANo DEPT.oLIFEoSCIENCE R/O-oDIGHALIPATHAR oDIST.oTINSUKIA o ASSAM. 15:oRUPJYOTIoSAIKIA oS/O-SONAoSAIKIA oDEPT.oEDUCATION o 3RDoSEMESTER oR/O-NUMALIGARHo DIST.oGOLAGHAT PageoNo.#o4/17 16:oGYANDEEPoGOGOI oS/O-oNUMALoCHANDRAoGOGOI.o DEPT.oMATHEMATICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-oHATIGARH oDIST.oDHEMAJI 17:oKANGKANoJYOTIoKALITA oS/O-oJAGAToKALITA.o DEPT.oECONOMICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-oJORHAT oDIST.oJORHAT 18:oSANTANUoNANDANoKASHYAP oS/O-CHANDANoKAKOTY o DEPT.oCOMMERCEo3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-DIBRUGARHoUNIVERSITYo DIST.oDIBRUGARH 19:oRAJDEEPoGOGOI oS/O-PRANABoJYOTIoGOGOIo DEPT.oMATHEMATICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-DULIAJAN oDIST.oTINSUKIA 20:oNILUTPALoDAS oS/O-NAGENoCHANDRAoDASo DEPT.oPHYSICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-ADABARI oGARGAONo DIST.oSIBSAGAR 21:oJUGALoKISHORoGOGOI oS/O-AKHILoGOGOIo DEPT.oHISTORY R/O-oTAMULICHIGALUKHURAKHONoGAON.o DIST.oJORHAT oASSAM. PageoNo.#o5/17 22:oBHASKARJYOTIoLAHAN oS/O-RAJENoLAHANo DEPT.oCHEMISTRY R/O-oNAKATANI oDIST.oSIBSAGAR 23:oMRIDUoPOBANoBORA oS/O-oPHULENDRAoBORAo DEPT.oMATHEMATICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-DHORIAGAON oKAKODONGAo DIST.oGOLAGHAT oASSAM. 24:oARNABoBARUAH oS/O-oBASANTAoBARUAHo DEPT.oENGLISH R/O-TINSUKIA oDIST.oTINSUKIA oASSAM. 25:oSABYASACHIoKALITA oS/O-LATEoPRABINoCHANDRAoKALITA.o DEPT.oAPPLIEDoGEOLOGY R/O-BAREGHAR oBHAKAToGAON o DIST.oSIVASAGAR 26:oKHIRUDoKALITA oS/O-PRODIPoKALITA.o DEPT.oHISTORY R/O-oDIBRUGARHoUNIVERSITY.o DIST.oDIBRUGARH ASSAM. 27:oPINOJYOTIoPEGU PageoNo.#o6/17 oS/OoRAMoPEGU.o DEPT.oHISTORY R/O-oDIBRUGARHoUNIVERSITY.o DIST.oDIBRUGARH ASSAM 28:oSAHEELoKHAN oS/O-oBADRULoISLAM.o DEPT.oAPPLIEDoGEOLOGY R/O-NAGAONo DIST.oNAGAON oASSAM. 29:oPRANTUPROTIMoBORAH oS/O-oPROBINoBORAHo DEPT.oMATHEMATICS R/O-oSIBSAGAR oDIST.oSIBSAGAR 30:oANKURoHANDIQUE oS/O-DIBYAJYOTIHANDIQUEo DEPT.oECONOMICS R/O-RAJAPOOLHANDIQUEoGAON oNAZIRA o DIST.oSIBSAGAR. 31:oSUBRAToSHYAM oS/O-oNIRMALoSHYAMo DEPT.oLIFEoSCIENCE o3RDoSEMESTER o R/O-oCHALPATHER oDIST.oDHEMAJI 32:oBITUoDAS oS/O-oBIRENoDASo DEPT.oCHEMISTRY o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-oDHAKUAKHANA oDIST.oLAKHIMPUR PageoNo.#o7/17 33:oCHITRAoMISSONG oS/O-LABANoSINGH.o DEPT.oECONOMICS R/O-oDHEMAJI.o DIST.oDHEMAJI oASSAM. 34:oGOUTAMoSAIKIA oS/O-oATULoSAIKIA.o DEPT.oECONOMICS R/O-oMAJULI oDIST.oMAJULI 35:oBHUSHANoLAHON oS/O-oDIPAKoLAHONo DEPT.oCHEMISTRY R/O-NITAIPUKHURIo DIST.oSIBSAGAR 36:oMANASHoPRATIMoBORAH oS/O-oSONARAMoBORAHo DEPT.oEDUCATION R/O-oK.B.oROAD oNORTHoLAKHIMPUR.o DIST.oLAKHIMPUR oASSAM. 37:oNURoHUSSAIN oS/O-oKHALILURoRAHMAN.o DEPT.oPOLITICALoSCIENCE R/O-oDARRANG oDIST.oDARRANG 38:oVARUNoPEGU oS/O-BHABENoPEGU PageoNo.#o8/17 oDEPT.oSOCIOLOGY o 3RDoSEMESTER oR/O-SILAPATHAR.o DIST.oDHEMAJI 39:oSATYARANJANoBHATTACHARYYA oS/O-PURNAoBHATTACHARYYAo DEPT.oASSAMESE R/O-DIBRUGARH oDIST.oDIBRUGARH 40:oWASHIMoAKRAM oS/O-MD.oMOHSIN.o DEPT.oPHYSICS R/O-CHOTAHAPJANo3oNO.oLINE.o DIST.oTINSUKIA 41:oBHASKARoJYOTIoPAO oS/O-BICHITRAoPAOo DEPT.oANTHROPOLOGY R/O-SILAPATHAR oDIST.oDHEMAJI 42:oNITESHoSHARMA oS/O-RAMPRASADoSHARMA.o DEPT.oPHYSICS R/O-NEPALIKHUTIo DIST.oGOALPARA 43:oMADHURJYAoNATH oS/O-MADANoCHANDRAoNATHo DEPT.oLIFEoSCIENCE R/O-SIPAJHAR.o DIST.oDARRANG PageoNo.#o9/17 44:oRINTUoSARMA oS/O-PUNARAMoSARMA.o DEPT.oSTATISTICS R/O-MANGALDAI.o DIST.oDARRANG 45:oPUSPODHARoPEGU oS/O-BHABAKANTAoPEGU.o DEPT.oECONOMICS R/O-DIBRUGARHoUNIVERSITY.o DIST.oDIBRUGARG 46:oLENISHoMILI oS/O-KIRITIoMILI oDEPT.oHISTORY R/O-SENCHOWAPUKHURIo DIST.oDIBRUGARH 47:oJOINGoCHAWHAI oS/O-LATEoNIMEToCHAWHAI.o DEPT.oEDUCATION R/O-PANGSOONGAON.o DIST.oSIVASAGAR 48:oBISWAJIToSAIKIA oS/O-BASANTAoSAIKIA.o DEPT.oPOLITICALoSCIENCE R/O-DHEMAJI.o DIST.oDHEMAJI oASSAM. 49:oRAHULoKARDONG oS/O-RUDRAoKARDONG.o DEPT.oMATHEMATICS R/O-BATUAMUKH.o DIST.oDHEMAJI PageoNo.#o10/17 50:oRAKESHoNGATEYoGAM oS/O-HUKUMSINGNGATEYoGAM o DEPT.oECONOMICS o3RDoSEMESTERo R/O-o1oNO.oPHUTUKIo DIST.oMAJULI oASSAM. 51:oBHARAToBHUSANoBARUAH oSEM-o5THo DEPARTMENT-oCJS o VILLAGE-oMAJULI o P.S.-oKAMALABARI oC.O-oDADHIoRAMoBARUAH 52:oAMANoKUMARoSHAH oS/O-oMAHADEVoSAH o SEM-o7TH oDEPARTMENT-oPHYSICS o VILLAGE-oDOOMDOOMAPATHARoGAON o DIST-oTINSUKIA oASSAM. 53:oDHRUBAoJYOTIoBORGOHAIN oS/O-oPRONABBORHOHAIN o SEM-o3RD oDEPARTMENT-oPOLITICALoSCIENCEo VILLAGE-oMECHAGARH o P.S.-NAZIRA oDIST-oSIVASAGAR 54:oKOUSTAVLOYING oS/O-oUKENLOYING o SEM-o3RD oDEPARTMENT-oPOLITICALoSCIENCE o VILLAGE-oBADULIPAR PageoNo.#o11/17 oDERGAON oDIST-oGOLAGHAT 55:oPRANTUoPRATIMoBORA oS/O-oPROBINoBORAH o SEM-o3RD oDEPARTMENT-oMATH o VILLAGE-oSHANTIPUR oDIST-oSIVASAGAR 56:oGOBINDAoDAS oS/O-oTIKHESWARoDAS o SEM-o3RD oDEPT-oECONOMICSo VILLAGE-oDEHINGoTHANoGAON oDIST-oDIBRUGARH 57:oBRAJAoMOHANoDAS oS/O-oTHANESWARoDAS o SEM-o3RD oDEPARTMENT-oPOLITICALoSCIENCE o VILLAGE-oSANTIPUR oDIST-oMORIGAON 58:oDINBODHARoMILI oS/O-oTULANoCHANDRAoMILI o SEM-o3RD oDEPARTMENT-oECONOMICS o VILLAGE-oSUMONIoGAON oDIST-oSIVASAGAR 59:oDHURBAJYOTIoSAIKIA oS/O-oMUKULoSAIKIA o SEM-o3RD oDEPARTMENT-oCHEMISTRY o VILLAGE-oBALIGAON oDIST-oLAKHIMPUR Page No.# 12/17 60: GOUTAM SAIKIA S/O-ATUL SAIKIA

SEM-3RD DEPT. ECONOMICS. VILLAGE-BENGENAATI SATRA DIST-MAJUL VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 5 ORS REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM, HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, DISPUR, PIN-781006 2:THE VICE-CHANCELLOR OF DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY DIBRUGARH PIN-786004 3:THE REGISTRAR OF DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY DIBRUGARH PIN-786004 4:THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY DIBRUGARH PIN-786004 5:DEAN OF STUDENT AFFAIRS DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY DIBRUGARH PIN-786004. 6:THE CHIEF WARDEN OF DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY DIBRUGARH PIN-78600 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. A CHAMUAH, MS A.DAS,MS P.HAZARIKA Advocate for the Respondent : SC, HIGHER EDU, SC, DIB. UNIVERSITY

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BEFORE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE LANUSUNGKUM JAMIR

05.08.2024 O R D E R

Heard Mr. A. Chamuah, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. S. Bhuyan, learned Standing Counsel, Higher Education Department, Government of Assam, for respondent No.1 and Mr. R. Mazumdar, learned Standing Counsel, Dibrugarh University, for respondent Nos.2 to 6.

¶2The petitioners before this Court are students of various Departments and Classes studying under the Dibrugarh University and they are the boarders of Padma Nath Gohain Baruah Chatra Niwas (PNGBCN, in short). Being aggrieved with the Notification, dated 26.07.2024, issued by the Deputy Registrar (Administration), Dibrugarh University, they are before this Court assailing the same in the present writ petition.

¶3For a better adjudication of the matter, the Notification, dated 26.07.2004, is reproduced here-in-below: "NOTIFICATION In pursuance of the decision taken in the Hostel Admission Committee (HAC) held on 21.06.2024, the following arrangements have been made:

¶1Existing boarders of PNGBCN – B block are shifted to MAHCN.

¶2Existing boarders of PNGBCN – A, B and C Block, MDCN and boarders of LDCN (CSL and Dept of Education) are shifted to MBCN.

¶3Existing boarders of LDCN (DUIET, CSPES, CCSA, CJS, CMS, CPA) are Page No.# 14/17 allotted in same hostel.

¶4Existing boarders of MAHCN are allotted in same hostel.

¶5Existing boarders of MBCN are allotted in the same hostel.

¶6PNGBCN – A, B and C Block is for new boarder under PG Courses.

¶7GPDCN is for new boarder under UG Courses. The process of hostel shifting for existing should be made on or before 4th August, 2024."

¶4Mr. Chamuah, learned counsel for the petitioners, submits that the existing boarders of PNGBCN are shifted to MAHCN and MBCN and the PNGBCN – A, B and C Block are being allotted to the new boarders under the PG courses. It is also submitted that the boarders in the PNGBCN have developed some attachment for the said hostel and if they are shifted now, the same would cause a lot of inconvenience as they have to adjust in the new environment. It is also submitted that the Notification, dated 26.07.2024, was issued on a decision taken by the Hostel Admission Committee who have no jurisdiction to take such decision. He, therefore, submits that the petitioners be permitted to continue their Semester in the said PNGBCN particularly when no reasons have been given in the said Notification, dated 26.07.2024 for shifting the petitioners to a different hostel.

¶5Mr. Mazumdar, learned Standing Counsel, Dibrugarh University, on the other hand, has drawn the attention of this Court to the Communication, dated

11.10.2009, issued by the Joint Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC, in short) and addressed to the Registrars of all the Universities whereby the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009 has been circulated. It is submitted that Regulation 6.2(j) provides that freshers shall be lodged, as far as may be, in a separate hostel block and where Page No.# 15/17 such facilities are not available, the institution shall ensure that access of seniors to accommodation allotted to freshers is strictly monitored by wardens, security guards and other staff of the institution and, therefore, the Dibrugarh University while trying to curb the menace of ragging in the University, issued the Notification dated 26.07.2024 with the sole purpose to have the new boarders in the PNGBCN – A, B and C Block. It is also submitted that in the Minutes of the Three Hundred Fifty First (Emergency) Meeting of the Executive Council of the Dibrugarh University, which was held on 23.12.2022, a resolution was passed resolving as follows:- "1. Installation of CCTV cameras in the entrances and also in the sensitive areas around the hostels.

¶2Sudden checks, monitoring and inspections be conducted in the hostels of the University through the Anti Ragging Squad of the University on regular basis.

¶3The newly admitted students be preferably allotted separate hostels during their first year of academic session.

¶4Unauthorised occupants, if found in the hostels, be evacuated immediately for which help from police department be taken, if necessary.

¶5The grievance redressal mechanism of the hostels of the University be strengthened."

¶6In the said Resolution reproduced here-in-above, he submits that the University authorities took a decision to have the newly admitted students allotted separate hostel from the first year of academic session. He, accordingly, submits that in the impugned Notification, dated 26.07.2024, particularly at Serial No.6, it has been specifically specified that the PNGBCN – A, B and C Block are for new Page No.# 16/17 boarders under PG courses. The University, therefore, by the said Notification, dated 26.07.2024, is only implementing the Resolution taken in the Three Hundred Fifty First (Emergency) Meeting of the Executive Council held on 23.12.2022 and also to ensure that ragging is curbed in the University in terms of the UGC Regulations that was circulated by Communication, dated 11.10.2009. It is also submitted that for the new academic session, the students have been admitted and they have been allotted hostels. However, as the petitioners are refusing to vacate the said PNGBCN, the new students are being accommodated in the University Guest House at night, which is causing untold hardship to the new students and their parents.

¶7After hearing learned counsel for the parties and on perusal of the Notification, dated 26.07.2024, this Court is of the considered opinion that the University authorities have taken a decision to allow the PNGBCN – A, B and C Block for the new boarders under PG courses. This Court has also noticed that the petitioners have not been dislodged from the hostel inasmuch as they have been allowed to shift to different hostels under the Dibrugrah University.

¶8The petitioners, who are students of Dibrugarh University, have no vested right to claim that they should be lodged in a particular hostel of their choice. Further, the Dibrugarh University Hostel Rules, 2015, provides at Rule 7 (e) that normally a boarder will be admitted only for one academic session and may be re-admitted subject to some conditions provided therein. Therefore, in the considered opinion of this Court, the petitioners cannot claim, as a matter of right, to be lodged in the said PNGBCN till they complete their academic session. Being students, they are expected to be disciplined and follow the Rules prescribed by the University and, therefore, when the students have been given alternative arrangements particularly with the intention to accommodate students who are Page No.# 17/17 being newly admitted for the new Semester, this Court sees no reason as to why the said Notification, dated 26.07.2024, issued by the Deputy Registrar (Administration), Dibrugarh University should be interfered with.

¶9Accordingly, this writ petition, being devoid of merit is dismissed.

¶10Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the students are presently undergoing hunger strikes in the premises of the hostel. Accordingly, despite dismissal of the writ petition, the University authorities are directed to ensure that proper medical treatment are given to the petitioners and an attempt should be made to settle the matter amicably provided, of course, there is cooperation from the petitioners' side.

JUDGE

Comparing Assistant