The Constitutional Council ruled in favor of the respondents in the case Vaid-Menon v. Cardona late Saturday afternoon. As a result, the advisory referendum bill authored by ASSU President Angelina Cardona ’11 posing a non-binding question to the student body regarding support for ROTC will  remain on the spring elections ballot.

Deliberations lasted for an hour, with four of the five members of the Council involved in discussion. The Council debated both parties’ objections, witness statements and submitted evidence. Much of the debate centered around questions of the potential discriminatory nature of the bill versus placing restrictions on free speech.

The Council also agreed that their jurisdiction was over the intent of the bill, not of the potential effects. They explicitly ruled that the bill is not discriminatory.

The Council voted 4-0 in favor of the constitutionality of the bill, after Council member Brianna Pang ’13, who is also a member of The Daily staff, recused herself from the proceedings. Neither Vaid-Menon nor Cardona was present for the announcement of the decision.

Check back this weekend for continued coverage of the case.

-Kate Abbott