The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed disciplinary action against Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and other students. The university had fined Kumar Rs 10,000 and suspended the others for varying periods of time following an inquiry panel’s report on events that led to Kumar's arrest in February. Khalid and Bhattacharya were also arrested on charges of sedition after they reportedly shouted anti-national slogans at an event organised protesting the hanging of Parliament attacks convict Afzal Guru.

Earlier today, the court had said it would hear the students' plea only if they ended the hunger strike they had begun on April 27. Several JNU students have been a fast, protesting against the panel's report and subsequent action taken by the university. The court had earlier refused to stay the university’s order rusticating Khalid and Bhattacharya, after they moved the court against the panel’s decision. The students' counsel had earlier told the court they were rusticated without any proper hearing or notices being served to them.

On the basis of their findings, the committee asked Bhattacharya to stay out of campus until July 15, then come in for a few days and again keep out from July 23 for five years. Khalid, who was rusticated as well, has been asked to pay a fine of Rs 20,000.