NALSAR students and alumni press for CJI's exclusion from convocation

NALSAR University students in Hyderabad, joined by alumni and members of the Cockroach Janta Party, have maintained a firm stance that Chief Justice of India Surya Kant should not be invited as chief guest for the convocation. While they do not plan to boycott the ceremony or demand the withdrawal of the existing invitation, they submitted a representation to the vice-chancellor on August 9, citing the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear petitions about police brutality during a CJP protest at Jantar Mantar.

Alumni, including gold-medallist activist Akhil Surya, contend the demand is a legitimate request to the university administration and not an affront to the CJI’s office, pointing to similar cancellations at other schools such as TISS. Supporters from the CJP movement, like Ruchith Asha Kamal, expressed personal reluctance to accept degrees from the current chief justice. The students emphasize that their demand remains unchanged despite the invitation already being extended. The issue reflects broader student activism against perceived judicial inaction on civil-rights matters.