Indian Polity
Kerala High Court Bans Agitations on Campus
- 27 Feb 2020
- 2 min read
Why in News
The Kerala High Court has banned all forms of agitations by student groups on school and college campuses.
- The Kerala High Court has issued this order while hearing a petition filed by 20 educational institutions against campus politics.
- The High Court had prohibited campus politics in 2017 also but the decision was not implemented in the State.
Highlights of the Judgement
- The Court has imposed a ban on strikes in schools and colleges that impact the functioning of the campuses.
- Educational institutions are meant for academic- related activities and not protests. However, these institutions can be made a venue for peaceful discussions.
- There should not be any form of agitation that affects the academic atmosphere on campuses. Right to education is a fundamental right (Article 21-A of the Constitution) and nobody has the right to violate that right.
Arguments Against the Judgement
- Student wings of political parties consider that the verdict infringes upon fundamental rights (including Article 19(1)(a) - Right to Freedom of speech and expression). Campus politics has a larger role in socialising students and instilling in them the values of democracy and secularism.
- A student group is also a type of a Pressure Group.
- A pressure group is a group of people who are organised actively for promoting and defending their common interest.
- It is called so, as it attempts to bring a change in public policy by exerting pressure on the government.
