Section 163 enforced as stir for student polls at Jamia enters 16th day

Delhi Police enforced Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita around the Jamia Millia Islamia campus on Tuesday, banning the assembly of five or more persons.

The prohibitory order comes amid a continuing agitation demanding the restoration of the students’ union. The protest entered its 16th day, with students refusing to call off their stir despite the university’s decision to hold elections within 15 days of the approval of the students’ union constitution. The students have demanded a definite date for the polls and a clear timeline for approving the constitution.

The university gates were heavily guarded by police personnel on Tuesday, with barricades erected carrying banners announcing the enforcement of Section 163. Over 20 detention buses, riot control vehicles, and a water cannon van were parked outside the campus.

Gate 4C, used by hostel students for internal access to the campus, was covered with aluminium sheets and welded together. “We have enforced Section 163 here as we expect a huge gathering of protesters. The university administration suspects a law and order situation could arise in the area,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Utkarsha.

According to the protesting students, one of them was issued a show-cause notice for being present on campus. They claimed that a team of university officials visited the protest site during the day, sought their identity cards and departmental details, following which the notice was served.

Meanwhile, students held talks with an administrative committee after they were not able to meet the Vice-Chancellor and present their demands directly to him. “We are trying to get them to agree to all our demands,” said Ribinisha Kanneth, one of the protesting students.

Scuffle breaks out

In the evening, a scuffle allegedly broke out between students and the police over doctors not being allowed to enter the campus for a health check-up of those on hunger strike.