CJI invitation: NALSAR students maintain dissent but confirm attendance at convocation

Hyderabad: Students at NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad have clarified that while they maintain their objection to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant attending their upcoming convocation as chief guest, they will neither boycott the event nor demand the cancellation of his invitation.

The stance follows a series of representations submitted by the student body. Around 450 of the university’s 1,400 students expressed concerns over the CJI's participation, pointing to oral remarks made by the Supreme Court bench on July 22 during a plea regarding alleged police excesses against student protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Students noted that receiving degrees from a dignitary whose actions appeared dismissive of police brutality conflicted with the constitutional values taught at NALSAR. The initial representation was submitted by 70 graduating LLB students on July 23, followed by letters of solidarity from nearly 380 other students between July 25 and August 9.

Despite the objections, NALSAR Vice-Chancellor Prof. Srikrishna Deva Rao’s office confirmed the CJI’s attendance, though official dates for the convocation remain unannounced. Recognizing that the invitation has already been extended, student representatives stated they would proceed with the ceremony while keeping their formal dissent on record.

The students' position has received backing from sections of NALSAR alumni and local activist groups, including members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Telangana. Alumni highlighted that raising concerns with university administration regarding convocation speakers aligns with established institutional norms and does not constitute disrespect to the office of the CJI.