Police can enter college campuses to bring order, need not wait for Principal’s permission: Kerala HC

A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday orally observed that the police need not wait for the Principal’s consent to enter college campuses and deal with law and order situations inside campuses.

The Bench led by Justice A. Muahmmed Mustaq while considering a batch of writ petition seeking to ban politics on college campuses, asked why should there be a need for permission from the Principal for the police to enter the campus when there is a law and order situation on the campus. The police should go there, prevent violence and take action against those indulging in violence and they need not wait for permission from the Principal, the Bench observed.

The court added that it will not ban political activities on campuses. It was one of the fundamental rights. Students should be conscious of politics. They should be encouraged to learn about politics and engage in it meaningfully. However, harmful practices associated with it should be curtailed. The impression that politics is inherently bad should not exist. Everyone should inculcate the good values of politics. However, politics where teachers and students are harmed or strikes obstruct classes must be banned.

The court asked the counsel for the petitioners to highlight the recurring incidents of political clashes and vandalism that are taking place on the campuses and seek curbing of such incidents, instead of seeking a ban on political activities.

Published - December 13, 2024 06:59 pm IST