Kolkata, 3 July (H.S.) -In a significant development following the alleged gang rape of a first-year student inside the South Kolkata Law College campus, the Calcutta High Court has ordered the closure of student union rooms in all colleges and universities across West Bengal where student body elections have not yet been conducted.

A division bench headed by Justice Soumen Sen issued the directive on Thursday during a hearing on a public interest litigation that brought the shocking incident to the court's attention. The bench made it clear that union rooms in institutions without elected student unions cannot be used for any recreational or informal purposes.

The court further stated that these rooms can only be accessed under special circumstances and with written permission from the registrar of the university or the principal of the concerned college, but strictly for official purposes. However, the court clarified that this special provision will not apply to the union room of South Kolkata Law College, as it is currently sealed for investigation purposes.

The directive comes in the wake of the June 25 incident, where the victim alleged that she was sexually assaulted over a span of nearly three hours at multiple locations within the college premises. According to the police complaint, the accused include Manojeet Mishra—identified as the main perpetrator—and two senior students, Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee.

The case is currently being investigated by the Detective Department of Kolkata Police.

Public records suggest that Manojeet Mishra is a student leader affiliated with the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) and had later been appointed as a temporary staff member at the college. He has previously faced accusations of misusing the union room to intimidate, harass, and exploit vulnerable students.

The court also noted a broader concern: student union elections have not been conducted for several years in many educational institutions across the state. At least two petitions demanding directions for holding these elections are currently pending before the High Court.

In its order, the court instructed the state government to file an affidavit outlining its plan for conducting the overdue student elections. The matter has been scheduled for its next hearing on July 17.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh