BANGALORE: The High Court on Thursday directed nine private schools to admit immediately students eligible for admission under the Right to Education Act.
It issued the order on a petition filed by 27 students denied admission under the Act by Vibgyor School in N S Palya, Somasundarapalya and Vittasandra and two other branches, Clarence School in J P Nagar, St Mira’s School in BTM Layout, Christ School in Suddaguntepalya and St Xavier School in Bettadasanapura.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice Ashok B Hichigeri directed the schools to admit the students immediately. The petitioners had contended that the schools had denied them admission even though they applied for minority status only after they were selected for admission under the RTE Act.
During the hearing, Additional Advocate General A S Ponnanna said the respondents have not applied to the state government for minority status except Clarence School in J P Nagar, which has been declared a religious minority school. Vibgyor schools at N S Pallya, Somasandra, and Vittasandra had not applied for minority status at all, he said.
Counsel G R Mohan, appearing on the behalf of St Mira’s School, submitted that the institute has been declared a religious minority school under the National Commission for Minority Education Institution Act 2004. The court, on finding that the school had obtained minority certificate only recently, observed that obtaining a minority status certificate would have only prospective effect. This meant that “the government cannot allot seats under RTE from 2015-2016 onwards.”
The bench directed the schools to conduct special classes as admission has been delayed and students should not suffer academically. It said it has not imposed any cost on the schools because they have to bear the expenses to conduct special classes for the students. They not only have to conduct the classes for the petitioning students, but also others selected for admission under the RTE Act facing a similar problem. The court dismissed the petition against Clarence School.
Nayana Krishna Gets Bail
The High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to controversial small-time actress Nayana Krishna of Sandalwood and Sona, the accused in a honey-trap case.
Justice R B Bhudihal, who granted them bail, directed them to furnish a personal bond worth `25,000 each along with one surety for the same sum and directed them to cooperate with investigations.
Both approached the High Court after a lower court rejected their bail petitions. Even city police were on the lookout for the actress allegedly involved in extorting money from rich men.
The racket came to light after a city doctor approached the police after being allegedly filmed with one of Nayana’s group members. The group had demanded `1 crore from the doctor in exchange for the video tape. Meanwhile, the court rejected the bail plea of police constable Mallesh, another accused in the case.