HC directs Delhi govt to stay order of hike in private schools fees

NEWDELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to stay the order of a hike in the private schools fees in the name of 7th Pay Commission till further order.

The court was hearing a petition filed by 100 students of ASN Public School in Mayur Vihar.

Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned Delhi’s private schools of ‘strongest action’ for allegedly harassing parents by arbitrarily increasing fees in schools.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said he has been getting complaints of schools misusing loopholes in the government’s order. He tweeted, “I’ve been getting complaints of excessive fee hike in the name of 7th Pay Commission, that schools misusing loopholes in govt order. I assure parents we will protect their interests.”

He also tweeted that the government is committed to fighting financial malpractices in private schools and that it has not let fees to be hiked in two years.

He said the government will not let private schools hike fees illegitimately in future too.

AIIMS PANEL TO EXAMINE PREGNANT GIRL SEEKING ABORTION

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the AIIMS to constitute a medical board and examine a 15-year-old pregnant girl seeking termination of her foetus.

Justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta said that a report of the medical board be submitted to it on December 22 to know whether medical termination of the foetus was advisable as the pregnancy was of over 25 weeks.

Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act prohibits abortion of a foetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy.