The Hindu : New Delhi News : Contempt of court notices to 52 private schools

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Thursday, Mar 13, 2008
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Contempt of court notices to 52 private schools

Staff Reporter

For refusing free admissions to poor students

Schools asked to file replies by March 27
Directorate of Education to probe into the matter

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued contempt of court notices to as many as 52 private schools here for refusing free admissions to students belonging to economically weaker sections of society despite giving affidavits to this effect to the Court last year.

Issuing the notices, a Division Bench comprising Justice T. S. Thakur and Justice Reva Khetrapal asked the schools to file replies by March 27.

The Bench issued the notices while hearing a PIL by a voluntary organisation, Social Jurist, seeking a direction to the schools to implement their land lease agreements with the Delhi Government to earmark 15 per cent of their total seats for free admission to poor students.

While allotting land to these schools at a concession, the Delhi Government had bound them to the condition that they would give free admission to a fixed percentage of students belonging to economically weaker sections. However, almost all the schools failed to implement the condition. It is for implementation of this condition that Social Jurist has moved the High Court.

As for those private schools that have not filed affidavits binding themselves to implement the land lease condition, the Court directed the Directorate of Education of the Delhi Government to conduct an investigation into complaints against them by the parents of eligible students for refusing them free admission them under the land lease agreement.

Counsel for the petitioner, Ashok Aggarwal, had in February informed the Court that he had received complaints from the parents of these students about the nodal officers not receiving their complaints against the schools.

The Court had then asked for a report from the Delhi Government, which was filed on Wednesday.

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