$~101 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 1266/2025 & CM APPLs.6277/2025, 29847/2025, 68095/2025 GAUTHAM T. S. .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Govind Manoharan, Ms. Samiksha Godiyal and Mr. Tenzing N. Bhutia, Advocates.

versus JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY THROUGH ITS REGISTRAR & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Vasanth Rajasekaran, Sr.SC with Mr. Karan Prakash, Mr. Harshvardhan Korada, Mr. Om Bali and Ms. Deepshikha Kumar, Advocates for R-1/JNU.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE JYOTI SINGH

O R D E R

% 08.12.2025 CM APPL. 77426/2025

1. This application is filed on behalf of the Petitioner under Section 151 CPC for early hearing of the writ petition, which is listed on 24.03.2026.

2. Issue notice.

3. Mr. Vasanth Rajasekaran, learned Senior Standing Counsel accepts notice on behalf of Respondent No. 1.

4. For the reasons stated in the application, the same is allowed and disposed of.

5. Date of 24.03.2026 stands cancelled.

W.P.(C) 1266/2025

6. With the consent of the parties, writ petition is taken up for hearing today.

7. This writ petition is filed on behalf of the Petitioner under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following reliefs:-

“(I) A writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus under article 226 of the Constitution of India directing the Respondent No.1 Jawaharlal Nehru University through its Committee of Advanced Research Studies to appoint an alternate research supervisor for the remainder of the Petitioner’s Ph.D. under clause 6.8 of the JNU Ordinance relating to the award of degree of Doctor of Philosophy;

(II) A writ, order or direction in the nature of certiorari to call for the records and set aside the decision dated 09.10.2024 (which was never supplied to the Petitioner) of the Faculty Committee Meeting, Centre for the Study of Regional Development of the 1^st Respondent Jawaharlal Nehru University whereby the Petitioner's request for change in research supervisor was illegally rejected;

(III) A writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus directing the Respondent No.2 , Professor S. Sreekesh, Chairperson of Centre for the Study of Regional Development to forthwith forbear from being involved in any manner whatsoever in any academic and administrative decisions regarding the doctoral studies of the Petitioner in the 1^st Respondent Jawaharlal Nehru University;

(IV) A writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus directing 1st Respondent Jawaharlal Nehru University to forthwith constitute a School Level Grievance Redressal Committee as per Rule 12(B)(3) of the JNU Academic Rules and Regulations.”

8. Learned counsel for the Petitioner, on instructions, submits that at this stage Petitioner will be satisfied if a direction is issued to Respondent No.1 to consider the representations given by the Petitioner requesting for change of Supervisor on grounds detailed in the representation as also this writ petition, in light of Clause 6.8 of “JNU Ordinance Relating to the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 2022”.

9. In light of the limited submission made by the counsel for the Petitioner, without entering into the merits of the case, this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to Respondent No.1 to decide the representations of the Petitioner keeping in view the grounds taken therein as also treating this writ petition as an additional representation, in light of Clause 6.8 of “JNU Ordinance Relating to the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 2022”. The decision shall be taken within two weeks from today and a reasoned and speaking order shall be passed, which shall be communicated to the Petitioner within one week from the decision. It is further directed that Respondent No.2, against whom allegations are levelled by the Petitioner shall not in any manner participate or be associated with the decision making process.

10. Pending applications stand disposed of.

JYOTI SINGH, J DECEMBER 8, 2025 S.Sharma