Around 450 students from Hyderabad-based NALSAR University of Law have written to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and professors of the institution, opposing any proposal to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest at the varsity's convocation.
In an email sent on July 23, some students from the 2026 batch said their concerns arose from the refusal of a Supreme Court bench led by the CJI to allow urgent listing of a plea concerning the alleged brutal police action against protesters during the peaceful 'Chalo Sansad' demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20.
They said they were writing to express their concerns about the proposal to invite the CJI as chief guest for the upcoming convocation.
There was no immediate response from university officials when their comments were sought.
The students cited the CJI's reported comments that the bench was not interested in watching videos when the lead counsel offered to show video evidence of the alleged police excesses during the July 20 protest.
"As students of law, our concern is narrower and more specific to us as a graduating batch. A convocation is meant to be a moment where the University's own values, including a commitment to constitutional rights, access to justice, and reasoned engagement with grievances, are visibly reflected in the choices it makes," they said in the email.
"We feel that receiving our degrees from a dignitary whose recent public conduct, as reported, appears dismissive of serious allegations of police brutality against protesting citizens sits uncomfortably with what we have been taught to value during our time at NALSAR," they said.
The peaceful march to Parliament was called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), with protesters raising issues including the conduct of the NEET examination and reforms in the National Testing Agency, they added.
"We are raising this matter now, before any formal decision is made, so that our views can be taken into account well in time," they said.
The students requested the university to "strongly reconsider" its choice of chief guest for the convocation and to consult the graduating batch before any final decision was communicated or an invitation extended.
A student said on Sunday that they had not received any reply from the varsity administration to their email.
(With inputs from PTI)