CLAT 2018: Delhi HC issues notice in plea by ABVP

The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Central government and other authorities in the plea filed by BJP’s youth wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) against the mismanagement of this year’s Common Law Admission Test (CLAT 2018).

The petition, filed through Advocates Namit Saxena and Nishant Awana, prayed for a stay on all further proceedings regarding CLAT 2018, including the declaration of result, scheduled for May 31.

The petition submitted,

“The conduct of CLAT over the last several years has been continuously riddled with arbitrariness, opacity, and ineptitude, thereby affecting the education and career prospects of thousands of students, who participate in these exams every year.”

Appearing for the petitioners ABVP and CLAT candidates Vibhav Chandra and Mangesh Mani, Senior Advocate Chetan Sharma today argued that there was grave mismanagement in the conduct of the examination.

It was further argued that CLAT should be considered as a selection examination, as the results of the same are used for admissions in various post-graduate courses as well as a preliminary requirement for jobs at PSUs.

The Single Judge Bench of Justice Rekha Palli directed the Centre to file its response and listed the matter for May 30 for further orders. The Bench also observed that since similar petitions are being heard by other courts, it would be appropriate to wait.

Various petitions assailing the conduct of CLAT 2018 have been filed in other courts, including the High Courts of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and Madhya Pradesh.