Delhi HC Probes Claim 6 Lakh Students Denied Monetary Benefits Due to Non-Operational Bank Accounts

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court, on Monday, asked the city government and Municipal Corporation to respond to a plea raised by an NGO which alleges that six lakh government school students are being deprived of statutory monetary benefits due to non-operational bank accounts. In its petition, the NGO Social Jurist claimed that 2,69,488 students in Delhi government schools and 3,83,203 MCD school students are being denied statutory benefits such as uniforms, writing materials and scholarships guaranteed to them under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act and the Delhi School Education Act due to them allegedly not having bank accounts. 

The plea referred to this alleged denial of benefits as ‘arbitrary', ‘unjust’, ‘malafide’, ‘discriminatory’ and 'unethical’ while also stating that it violates their Fundamental Right to Education.   

The petitioner, represented by advocates Ashok Agarwal and Kumar Utkarsh, sought a direction from the court to the concerned authorities so that they ensure these students have working bank accounts and, in the meantime, they are paid through cheque the statutory benefits they are supposed to receive.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora issued a notice to the Delhi government, its education department and the MCD seeking replies on this matter which has been listed for further hearing on April 10.