IMPORTANT POINT
The court established that disciplinary actions in educational institutions must adhere to principles of natural justice, including the right to be informed of evidence against a student, while also affirming the authority of institutions to enforce conduct regulations.

JUDGMENT :

LANUSUNGKUM JAMIR, J.

1. The petitioners before this Court are students of B. Tech, 4th year, 8th Semester of Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G, in short). The petitioners belong to Electronics and Communication Engineering discipline. On 31.12.2023, the petitioners reached the IIT-G hostel from their native place and as the petitioners have already got their job offer, they decided to celebrate the New Year’s Eve by pre-booking at Exoro, a rooftop restaurant situated at Bhangagarh, Guwahati. Accordingly, on the evening of 31.12.2023, they hired a Cab and all the three writ petitioners along with their friend late Pulluri Aishwarya reached the place of celebration at Bhangagarh. During the party, all the three writ petitioners along with late Pulluri Aishwarya consumed liquor and, in the meantime, the petitioner No. 2 became unstable. Therefore, at around 12.30 am, they decided to stay back in a hotel instead of going back to the hostel by taking into consideration their safety and security. Accordingly, the petitioners booked two rooms in a hotel at Paltanbazar and went to sleep. However, in the morning of 01.01.2024 at about 7.30 am, late Pulluri Aishwarya started developing breathing problems and, therefore, the petitioner No. 2 immediately informed the petitioner Nos.1 and 3. Thereafter, they arranged an ambulance to take her to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (in short, the GMCH). The petitioner Nos.1 and 3 went with late Pulluri Aishwarya in the ambulance to the GMCH and the petitioner No. 2 was kept at the hotel by the hotel authorities. The parents of late Pulluri Aishwarya were also informed. In the meantime, the hotel authorities also informed the Paltanbazar Police Station and the police personnel came to the hotel and carried out necessary investigation. The IIT-G administration and the President of the Students Union were also informed about the entire incident. However, late Pulluri Aishwarya was declared dead by the GMCH doctors.

2. The petitioners received e-mails from the IIT-G authorities directing them to appear before the Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC) on 05.01.2024. The petitioners, accordingly, appeared before the SDC on 05.01.2024 wherein they were asked to submit written statement before the Committee describing the entire incident. Accordingly, the petitioners submitted individual written statements narrating the entire incident. Thereafter, the petitioners received e-mails on 31.01.2024 attaching the impugned Communication, dated 31.01.2024, which was written by the Joint Registrar and HoS (Student Affairs) and addressed to the petitioners separately wherein the disciplinary actions initiated against them were indicated. The relevant portion of the Communication, dated 31.01.2024, reads as under:

“Based on the interaction during the meeting, the undersigned is to convey that on approval of the Competent Authority, the following disciplinary actions have been initiated against you:

1. A fact-finding committee is being constituted to investigate the entire incident leading to the untimely demise of Late Pulluri Aishwarya, your association with the incident, if any.

2. You are suspended from the institute with immediate effect until further orders.

3. You are asked to vacate your institute hostel with immediate effect and to go home.”

3. Thereafter, the petitioners left for their native place on 08.02.2024 inasmuch as they were suspended from the hostel. In the meantime, the Mid-Semester examination commenced from 24.02.2024 up-to 01.03.2024. However, the petitioners did not participate in the said Mid-Semester examination. The petitioners again received e-mails on 27.02.2024 from the Student Affairs Section directing them to appear before the Fact Finding Committee on 28.02.2024. The petitioners attended the proceeding of the Fact Finding Committee on the said date. Thereafter, the petitioners received another e-mail on 22.03.2024 through the Student Affairs Section intimatin