Delhi High Court Allows 7 Students to Attend Classes at St. Stephen’s, Halts Further Seat Allocations

In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court allowed seven students to attend classes at St. Stephen’s College based on seat allocations made by Delhi University (DU). However, the court has directed DU to refrain from making any further seat allocations while the matter remains under judicial review.

Legal Battle Over Seat Allocations
The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued notices to both the university and the seven students involved in the dispute. This action comes in response to an appeal by St. Stephen’s College challenging a previous order by a single-judge bench, which granted admission to the students according to DU’s seat allocation policy. Read more.

St. Stephen’s College Appeals, Cites Limitations
St. Stephen’s College argued that it is not bound to admit all candidates allocated seats by DU under its common seat allocation system. The college cited capacity limitations as a primary reason for opposing the university’s allocation. Despite this, the single-judge bench, led by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, had initially ruled that St. Stephen’s must admit the students and allow them to attend classes after completing the necessary formalities.

Also read: Plea in Delhi High Court Seeks Women’s Reservation in DU Student Union Elections

Ongoing Case and Impact on Future Admissions
The case involves two petitions filed by seven students who claimed they had been allocated seats at St. Stephen’s College through DU but were not admitted within the given timeframe. The university supported the students’ claims, while the college opposed them. The matter remains unresolved, and the Division Bench has temporarily barred further admissions until the main petition is settled.