Shut down National Law University if you can’t run it: High court to Government

The Jharkhand HC on Friday pulled up the state govt for not providing regular funds to Ranchi-based National University of Study & Research in Law (NUSRL) observing that the “govt should shut down the varsity if it doesn’t want to run it.”

A division bench of chief justice Ravi Ranjan & justice Sujit Narayan Prasad said that the govt’s apathy towards this premiere institution was difficult to understand.

It summoned the chief secretary & finance & building construction departments’ secretaries asking them to appear personally on the next date of hearing on Mar 6 to explain the govt’s inaction.

Set up in 2010 by one-time grant provided by the state govt, National University of Study & Research in Law (NUSRL) has its own campus in Ranchi’s Kanke area. It offers undergraduate integrated five-year LLB (Hons) & various other courses. But, the institution is facing fund crunch to set up some more infrastructures urgently required for the students.

Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), the HC bench said that as per the National University of Study & Research in Law (NUSRL) Act, the state govt, bar council, bar associations & others ought to provide financial aid to the varsity.

“The govt can’t deny from extending financial support to the institution university. Worse, it charges electricity bill from the institution for the street lights which the govt had set up on the varsity campus & adjoining areas. The govt can behave like this with such a reputed institution,” the bench said.

Jharkhand HC bar association, however, highlighted that the govt wasn't providing any financial support to the institution due to which additional buildings, library & other infrastructure couldn't be constructed causing much discomfort to the students.

The state govt clarified that it had sanctioned one time grant of Rs 50 crore to the university. It stated that as per the cabinet’s decision, the govt wouldn't make any further grant.

HC observations

Court summons chief secretary, finance & building construction secretaries

Govt is slapping electricity bills for street lights

Govt’s apathy towards this premiere institution is beyond imagination

Govt has to follow the laws

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