Supreme Court dismisses Delhi Govt's appeal regarding levy of annual fee by pvt schools

Supreme Court has dismissed Delhi Government’s plea seeking the levy of annual, development fees charged by Delhi’s private schools today. Supreme Court has ordered Delhi government to raise their issues before the division bench of the High Court. Supreme Court considering that the division bench of the High Court is scheduled to hear the appeal against the single bench judgment on July 12, refused to entertain the special leave petition. SC’s bench led by Justice Khanwilkar, ordered the Stte government to do so related to Delhi school fee matter. 

On 31st May 2021, Single bench judge of Delhi High court allowed the private unaided schools to collect annual fees and development charges. The range of charges lies between Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 35,000 per student. It is for the period post lockdown was lifted in Delhi in 2020. Delhi Government after this order filed a petition against it in Supreme Court after a two-judge division bench refused to stay the order. The bench has fixed 12th July as the hearing date.

Delhi school fee matter: Major development

In a major development, Supreme Court has now dismissed the matter. It asked the government to raise all the issues before the division bench of the High Court on July 12, 2021. In the SC hearing, Justice Khanwikar said, “Considering that division bench is hearing the matter on July 12, all contentions remain open and will be raised before division bench dismissal of the petition does not reflect upon merits of the case.” The Apex Court even said that the dismissal of the appeal is not an expression of the merits of the case. The High Court had noted that it was prima facie inclined to agree with the Single Judge's observations that the Directorate of Education did not have any power to issue directions under the Delhi School Education Act. Later it was stated that management of such schools did not receive aid from the Government, and were solely dependent on fee collected by them.