HC seeks Delhi govt response on PIL over admission of children from weaker sections to school

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to the Government of NCT Delhi on a plea seeking court direction for admission of children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups and ensure the admission against each and every seat the EWS/DG children are entitled to.

The bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher and Justice Talwant Singh on Monday sought the response of the Delhi Government and slated the matter for April 26 for further hearing.

The plea sought a court direction to Delhi Government to ensure the admission of over 44,000 children belonging to EWS/DG under the provisions of section 12(1)(c) of RTE Act, 2009 either by processing the applications they are already pending with them or by the exercise of the jurisdiction conferred to the chairperson District admission monitoring committee under the provisions of clause 7 of Gazette notification extraordinary dated January 7, 2011.

The petition was moved by 'Justice for All' an organization of lawyers and social activists through Advocates Khagesh B. Jha and Shikha Sharma Bagga sought direction to the respondent Director of Education to initiate action against schools that failed to admit the students allotted seats in their schools.

The petition further alleged the blatant violation of the fundamental right of over 50,000 children waiting for admission since April 2021 and victim of the government inaction to perform their duty imposed with them under the provisions of articles 19(1)(a), 21 and 21A of Constitution of India read with the provisions of section 12(1)(c) of RTE Act, 2009 and sought indulgence from the court to ensure their admission against the seats reserved for them under the above-stated scheme to guarantee their fundamental right guaranteed to them

The plea further stated that the admission of children who applied for the admission in the month of April 2021 for the session 2021-22 and approx. 50,000 are entitled to admission as per the actual enrolment in the school.

The director of education delayed the process on their own and now refusing the admission on the ground of delay in admission which is the duty of the appropriate government, the respondent Delhi Government themselves, the petitioner alleged in the petition.