HC asks Delhi Govt to submit notification on freeship

New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) Delhi High Court today asked the Delhi Government to place before the court the notification of the Lieutenant-Governor making mandatory for public schools, built on subsidised public land, to set aside 20 per cent of their seats for poor students.

A bench of Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice H R Malhotra directed the Delhi Government counsel to place the notification before the court by April 16, the next date of hearing.

On January 31, some public schools had filed a petition challenging the notification saying it could not be implemented in its present form.

The High Court had directed the Delhi Government to implement the provisions in the lease deeds with the schools by forcing them to admit at least 20 per cent students under the freeship quota.

The Delhi lieutenant-governor has notified the state government's October 2006 order to private schools built on subsidised public land to reserve 20 per cent of their seats for poor students and also waive their fees.

On September 13, 2005, the High Court had issued a stern warning to 106 private unaided public schools established on government land allotted at a concessional rate, to provide 20 per cent seats for the under privileged.

The DDA and State Government had allotted land at a concesssional rate to 361 schools.

The Action Committee of Unaided School, Independent School Federation and some schools-- DPS, Caramel Convent, Holy Cross, Loretto Convent, Canterbury Model and St Xaviers-- are some of the petitioners.

UNI