The Delhi High Court, during a hearing on a plea concerning the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) elections, appointed former Supreme Court judge, Justice V Ramasubramanian, as the observer for the upcoming polls. The plea, filed by a JNU student, aimed to establish appropriate university statutes, regulations, or mechanisms for conducting JNUSU elections, incorporating the recommendations outlined in the Lyngdoh Commission.

In response to the plea, the bench of Justice Sachin Datta permitted the petitioner to approach the Grievance Redressal Cell established as per the notification dated March 6, 2024, and adhere to the recommendations set forth by the Lyngdoh Committee. The Grievance Redressal Cell was directed to examine the grievances raised by the petitioner and deliver a reasoned order in accordance with the law.

The court also ruled that if it is discovered that the constitution of the Election Commission (EC) does not comply with the law and the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, appropriate consequential orders concerning the contested elections would be issued by the Grievance Redressal Cell. Considering the election schedule purportedly notified on March 10, 2024, the Grievance Redressal Cell was instructed to complete the aforementioned exercise and issue a reasoned order prior to the declaration of the final results.

The petitioner, a student of the university identified as Sakhi, sought the annulment of several notifications, including one dated January 30, 2024, inviting students of selected organizations for a meeting. Additionally, Sakhi sought to quash a notification dated February 16, 2024, which authorized two students, Aishe Ghosh and Md Danish, to conduct General Body Meetings (GBMs) for the formulation of the Election Commission. Furthermore, the plea requested the conduct of fresh GBMs in strict adherence to the terms specified in the Lyngdoh Committee Report and accepted and modified by the Supreme Court to ensure the integrity and trustworthiness of the JNUSU Elections.

"The impugned notifications seek to give sanctity to the flawed and unfair process adopted to notify and conduct the JNUSU Elections 2023-24, including the selection of the Election Commission and is mala fide, unreasonable, arbitrary and illegal and as such deserves to be quashed," the plea asserted.