Supreme Court rejects PIL seeking enforcement of Lyngdoh Committee norms on student polls

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) dismissed a plea seeking implementation of the 2006 Lyngdoh Committee Report, which lays down the regulatory framework for student union elections in colleges and universities across the country.

The central government, acting on the directive of the top court, had formed the Lyngdoh Committee whose report aimed to eliminate "money and muscle power" from campus politics while maintaining academic standards.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi declined to entertain the petition filed by Shiv Kumar Tripathi, observing that it lacked merit.

During the brief hearing, a counsel for Mr. Tripathi said the plea sought enforcement of the committee report to ensure fair elections for students' bodies in colleges and universities.

The CJI termed the plea a publicity interest litigation.

“You just want to go out and address others (media). Only for publicity,” the CJI said, before dismissing the petition after hearing the counsel.

The top court had accepted the committee recommendations, making them mandatory for all universities and colleges in the country.

The committee, in its report, had fixed the age limit of 17 to 22 years for undergraduate students to fight college elections. For postgraduate students, it had fixed the age limit of 24 to 25 years for contesting university polls.

Besides, it had suggested other regulatory measures for such polls.