NEW DELHI: An NSUI leader, debarred by the Delhi University over his alleged involvement in the screening of a controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, on Wednesday urged Delhi HC to permit him to submit his Ph.D. thesis before the retirement of his supervisor on April 30.
While senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Ph.D. scholar and NSUI national secretary Lokesh Chugh, apprehended that the varsity will later “appoint a supervisor of its own choice” if interim relief was not granted, counsel for the varsity M Rupal stated no prejudice would be caused and interference by the court will send a “wrong message”.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav was informed that the petitioner has completed all formalities and was bound to appear for viva and that the university should assure that post the retirement of the present supervisor, one of the “advisors” who had worked with the petitioner on the thesis would replace him.
AG R Venkataramani, also representing the university, urged the court to defer the hearing in the matter as he was appearing in a constitution bench hearing before the Supreme Court. Rupal said the petitioner’s thesis and the role of his supervisor were over and that if he succeeds in his case here, it would be processed as per procedure and there was no urgency in the matter.