Nagpur: A final-year LLB student of Symbiosis Law School, Nagpur, has been suspended with immediate effect for allegedly posting content on her official Instagram handle that contradicted the Government of India’s official statement regarding “Operation Sindoor” and for other disciplinary reasons. The suspension order was issued by the institute’s director on May 10, 2025.
Challenging the suspension, the student filed a petition in the Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench). After hearing the case, the court directed the institution to complete its internal inquiry by May 25 and to inform the petitioner of the decision on the same day. The student was also instructed to cooperate fully with the inquiry process.
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20 May 2025
Court Observations on Instagram Posts
During the hearing, the institution submitted certain documents, including screenshots from the student’s official Instagram account. The court noted that most of the posts appeared to be political in nature, with one recent post related to Operation Sindoor. However, since an inquiry is underway, the court refrained from commenting on the nature of the posts.
Suspension from All Academic Activities
Following the suspension, the student has been barred from participating in all academic and non-academic activities. The case was referred to the Campus Discipline Committee (CDC), which decided that the student would not be allowed to sit for internal, semester, or backlog examinations during the suspension period. However, the committee assured that if the student is found not guilty, special examinations will be conducted to ensure she does not suffer academically or face prejudice.
Petitioner’s Argument: Violation of Natural Justice
Advocate Kulkarni, representing the petitioner, argued that the decisions of the CDC and school management violated the principles of natural justice. He stated that suspension from academic activities and exams amounts to a punishment, which cannot be imposed without a fair investigation. Citing the 2023 Code of Conduct of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), he emphasized that no punitive action should be taken against a student without due process.
Court’s Stand: Suspension is Administrative, Not Punitive
The High Court maintained that suspension, while an inquiry is pending, is not a form of punishment but an administrative action. It clarified that it is well-established in law that an administrative authority can issue such orders to maintain discipline while a disciplinary inquiry is in process.
