Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Kerala HC stays MG University fund withdrawal over cockroach posters
Some students at a big university in India wanted to hold a special meeting called a conference.
The university had agreed to give them money for it.
The students made funny posters to advertise the meeting.
One poster showed a cockroach standing in front of a boot.
Another showed a cockroach pushing a big curtain.
The university thought the posters were political and took the money away.
The students said the posters were not political at all.
They asked a judge to help them, and the judge told the university to wait.
Now the students can keep planning their conference for now.
A judge will make the final decision in September.
The Kerala High Court stayed Mahatma Gandhi University's order withdrawing financial assistance for a students' national conference.
The interim relief was granted on a petition filed by the university's Students' Union challenging the Vice-Chancellor's decision.
The conference had been sanctioned Rs 3.75 lakh in financial assistance, of which Rs 2.81 lakh (75 percent) had already been released.
The dispute arose over promotional posters depicting a cockroach before a boot and pushing a curtain, which the university alleged carried political overtones.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed the interim order, and the case is posted for further hearing on September 10.
- Who
- The Kerala High Court, Mahatma Gandhi University Vice-Chancellor, the university's Students' Union, and Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas.
- What
- The High Court stayed the Vice-Chancellor's order withdrawing financial assistance for a students' national conference over cockroach-themed promotional posters.
- When
- The interim order was passed on a Friday, and the case is posted for further hearing on September 10.
- Where
- Kerala High Court in Kochi, regarding a conference planned at Mahatma Gandhi University's campus.
- Why
- The university alleged the posters carried political overtones violating its code of conduct, while the Students' Union argued they contained no political symbols or party material.
Students' Union
University Administration
Cockroach posters and political expression
Students' Union
The posters contained no political symbols, party flags, or campaign material associated with any party recognised by the Election Commission of India, and were simply promotional.
University Administration
The posters carried political overtones and violated the Mahatma Gandhi University Students' Code of Conduct Rules, 2005, along with other university regulations.
- Court
- Kerala High Court
- Judge
- Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas
- University
- Mahatma Gandhi University
- Sanctioned financial assistance
- Rs 3.75 lakh
- Amount already released
- Rs 2.81 lakh (75 percent)
- Nature of dispute
- Political overtones of promotional cockroach posters
- Rules cited
- Mahatma Gandhi University Students' Code of Conduct Rules, 2005
- Next hearing
- September 10