The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought response of the DU and St Stephen's college on a plea opposing the inclusion of a member from the institute's supreme council in the interview panel for admission of Christian students.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Delhi University, the college, its Supreme Council, its Principal and the University Grants Commission seeking their stand by October 16 on the petition by three professors of the institute.
The petition was filed in appeal against the July 11 order of a single judge who dismissed the professors' plea challenging inclusion of the supreme council member in the interview panel.
The supreme council is higher in authority than the governing body of the college and comprises of members from the Church of North India and also those nominated by it.
The petitioners -- N P Ashley, Abhishek Singh and Nandita Narain -- who are members of the college's governing body were opposed to the alleged "interference" of the church in the admission process, claiming it was against the norms of the institute.
According to their petition before the single judge, the supreme council in a meeting held on March 12 had decided to have an additional Christian member, nominated by it or the governing body, to be part of the interview panel with respect to admission of Christian students in all subjects.