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JNU cancels auditorium booking for discussion on Umar Khalid’s book

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 09 Aug 2026 1 hour ago

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has cancelled the booking of the SSS-1 auditorium for a public discussion on Umar Khalid’s book Fractured Communities. The event was scheduled for August 10 from 3 pm to 6 pm.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) planned to organise the programme to mark Tribal Day, also known as Adivasi Diwas.

University cites incomplete information

According to a notice issued by the university administration, the organisers did not provide complete information about the proposed event in the venue request form.

The university said the cancellation followed concerns over transparency in the use of campus auditoriums and other spaces. The Joint Registrar issued the cancellation letter after receiving approval from the Dean of the School of Social Sciences (SSS).

JNU said the booking “stands cancelled” because of the “non-disclosure of the full facts” about the programme scheduled for August 10, 2026, between 3 pm and 6 pm.

Several speakers were invited

The planned discussion featured several academics, activists and public figures. The list of speakers included Prof. Prabhu Mohapatra, Prof. Uma Chakravarti, Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Harsh Mander and Bano Jyotsna Lahiri.

The organisers planned the event as a public discussion around Fractured Communities while also marking Adivasi Diwas. The cancellation came one day before the scheduled programme.

Professor had booked auditorium

The cancellation letter said Dr Avinash Kumar of the Centre for International Legal Studies (CISLS) had originally booked the SSS-1 auditorium.

The university said the venue request form did not disclose all the details about the programme. It cited this omission as the reason for withdrawing permission to use the auditorium.

JNU defends cancellation decision

In a post on X, JNU described itself as a “democratic and decentralised institution”. It said the Dean of the School of Social Sciences had initially approved the event and later cancelled the booking after examining the information provided by the organisers.

The university asked all parties concerned to take note of the decision. It also stressed the need to maintain transparency while seeking permission to use university facilities.

According to JNU, the administration acted under established procedures that require organisers to disclose complete programme details while requesting campus venues.

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