A CM should be available 24x7: HC on Kejriwal

‘Students’ rights can’t be trampled upon’

Observing that a chief minister’s post in any state, let alone a buzzing capital city like Delhi, is not ceremonial and the incumbent has to be virtually available 24x7 to deal with any crisis or natural disaster like flooding, fire, and disease, the Delhi high court on Monday said the decision of Arvind Kejriwal to continue in the position after his arrest is “personal” but it does not mean that the fundamental rights of school-going children would be trampled upon.

While hearing a PIL by NGO Social Jurist, represented by advocate Ashok Agarwal, highlighting the non-supply of educational material and other statutory benefits to over two lakh students in the MCD schools even after the commencement of the new academic session, the high court said that Mr Kejriwal’s absence cannot allow students to go through the first term without free textbooks, writing material, and uniform in municipal schools.

The high court said that as the students of the MCD schools are entitled to free textbooks, writing material, and uniforms in accordance with their constitutional and statutory rights, and the schools are

going to close for summer vacations shortly, the MCD commissioner is directed to incur the expenditure required for fulfilling the obligations forthwith without being constrained by the expenditure limit of `5 crores.

The high court observed that the inability of the Delhi government to act with alacrity and respond to the urgency of the issue at hand exhibits its “indifference towards the plight of the students”.