"Charge Only 50% Of Hostel Rent From Students For COVID Period": P&H High Court Directs RGNUL To Refund Additional Amount

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday directed the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala to charge only 50% of the hostel rent from the students for the COVID period and would refund the remaining amount to the students within a period of four weeks.The bench of Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Vikram Aggarwal took note of the fact that the. The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday directed the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala to charge only 50% of the hostel rent from the students for the COVID period and would refund the remaining amount to the students within a period of four weeks. The bench of Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Vikram Aggarwal took note of the fact that the University had charged only 25% of the rent from the contractors of the mess, canteens, shops, etc., and this, it observed, there was absolutely no justification in charging the entire hostel rent from the students. Finding no justification in the decision of the university to charge 100% hostel fee from students during the COVID period, the Court directed the university administration that in addition to the benefit that has already been given to the students, it would charge only 50% of the hostel rent from the students for the period in question and would refund the remaining amount to the students within a period of four weeks "Since respondent No.2 would still be left with 50% of the hostel rent, the same, in our considered opinion, would be sufficient for the expenses which respondent No.2 may have incurred on the repair and maintenance of the hostel rooms, post the pandemic," the Court said as it disposed of the plea.