The Delhi High Court has sought response of the city government on an NGO's plea challenging its order that unaided minority schools are not obliged to provide free admission and tuition to students belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS).
The court in its September 1, 2014, order had held that irrespective of whether a minority school has to admit EWS students as per the lease deed of the government land alloted to them at concessional rates, they are not required to do so.
This order has been challenged by NGO Social Jurist on whose appeal, a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw has issued notice to the Delhi government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Land and Development Office (L&DO) and St Columbas School and has sought their response by November 3, the next date of hearing.
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Advocate Ashok Aggarwal, appearing for the NGO, submitted before the court that "all the schools including unaided minority schools which are on public land allotted to them at concessional rates are obliged to provide admission to EWS students to the extent of 20 per cent and to grant free-ship to them".
In its September 1 order, a single-judge bench of the court had held that "....By a covenant in a lease deed, government certainly cannot appropriate the right to nominate non-minority EWS students to a minority school".
