KOCHI: Nearly a year after Kerala High Court came down on the state government for not following its directive to regulate politics on college campuses in the state, the Kerala Government has finally decided to come up with a set of rules to regulate the functioning of student outfits.
State Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel said the government would soon publicise the regulations to be implemented by colleges to curb the activities of student outfits on campuses. “We are in the final stage of framing rules and guidelines. Once the rules are finalised, an ordinance will be passed,” said Jaleel.
There are allegations that the state government has been dilly-dallying with the decision to frame the regulations based on the High Court directive because college campuses are soft targets for political parties to attract youths to their fold. “All political parties need youths to carry out their political works that include organising rallies, road blockades and dharnas. During elections, youth and students’ wings of political parties are extensively used for campaign works,” said a senior political leader.
It was on July 17, 2018, that the Kerala High Court slammed the state government for going slow on its earlier directive.
The court also directed the government to inform it about the steps taken to implement the directive while considering a plea filed by L S Ajoy, who submitted that the state even failed to implement a 2004 High Court order directing that rules be framed to control student politics in educational institutions in the state. “It’s fact that the state government is not showing any interest to follow the High Court directive.
We will pursue the case till the state is made answerable. We have submitted another detailed petition before the court seeking its intervention,” said Advocate Sajeev Kumar K Gopal, counsel for Ajoy.