The row over cockroach-themed posters at Mahatma Gandhi University escalated on Friday after the Kerala High Court stayed an order issued by the University's Vice-Chancellor directing the student union to refund ₹2.81 lakh released for organising a national conference. The University had objected to the publicity posters, alleging that they carried political overtones.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas stayed the Vice-Chancellor's order, observing that it appeared to be arbitrary. The court also sought responses from the University, its Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and the Director of the University's Directorate of Students' Welfare (DSW).

The student union contended that neither the Mahatma Gandhi University Act nor the Students' Code of Conduct Rules empowered the Vice-Chancellor to recover an advance that had already been sanctioned and released for an approved university programme. It further argued that the August 1 order was arbitrary, violated the principles of natural justice, and infringed upon the union's right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.

The controversy centres on posters featuring the virtual mascot of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which has emerged as a symbol of recent student protests in New Delhi over alleged irregularities in the country's education system. The posters, displayed across the campus, were used to promote the conference while expressing solidarity with the student movement.

The row began after interim Vice-Chancellor Dr D. Mavoothu directed the student union to remove the posters before July 27. Subsequently, the Director of the DSW issued a notice alleging that the conference posters carried political overtones and violated the prohibition on conducting political activities or programmes using university funds.

The notice stated that the cockroach-themed posters violated the Mahatma Gandhi University Students' Code of Conduct Rules, 2005, and directed the union to remove them.

After the union refused to comply, the Registrar directed that the sanctioned amount be refunded to the University Fund, stating that the union had failed to comply with repeated instructions.

The student union then approached the High Court, challenging the Vice-Chancellor's August 1 directive to refund the money released for organising the conference.

The case has been posted for further hearing on October 9, 2026.
(With Bar and Bench inputs)