More than 450 graduating students at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University in Hyderabad have opposed the reported decision to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as the chief guest for the institution’s 2026 convocation ceremony.
In a representation addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and other university authorities, the students urged the administration to reconsider the invitation, citing concerns over the Chief Justice’s handling of recent court proceedings related to alleged police action against protesters during the July 20 Parliament march from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
According to the representation, during a hearing on July 23, Justice Surya Kant reportedly declined to watch video evidence alleging police excesses, stating that the court did not have time to view the footage. The students also alleged that the petitioner’s submissions were cut short during the proceedings. The letter further referred to another petition seeking an enquiry into the alleged police action, which reportedly left more than 70 protesters, including women and children, injured.
The representation also cited remarks attributed to the Chief Justice regarding the protests, including his reported comparison of Indian youth to cockroaches. The students argued that their objection was not to the office of the Chief Justice itself but to whether his recent conduct reflected the constitutional values that a law university convocation should represent.
The signatories said a convocation should embody principles such as constitutional rights, access to justice and reasoned engagement with public grievances. They argued that inviting the Chief Justice under the present circumstances would be inconsistent with those values and requested the university to consult the graduating batch before extending any formal invitation.
The students have sought an early response from the university and expressed willingness to engage with the administration through discussions. NALSAR has not issued an official response to the representation.
The development follows the postponement of Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ convocation earlier this month, where Justice Surya Kant was also expected to attend as chief guest amid concerns over possible protests.
Source: India Today
