Today, Monday, April 29, the Delhi High Court (HC) commented that while Arvind Kejriwal's decision to remain as the Chief Minister after his arrest is a personal one, it should not result in any violation of the fundamental rights of school-going children, states PTI.
According to the report, the high court also said that Kejriwal's absence cannot be a reason for denying free textbooks, writing materials, and uniforms to students in MCD schools during the first term.
The high court said that a chief minister in any state, let alone a bustling metropolitan like Delhi, is not just a ceremonial position. The office holder is expected to be available round the clock to deal with any emergency, such as natural disasters like floods, fires, and diseases.
"National interest and public interest demands that no person who holds this post is incommunicado or absent for a long stretch of time or for an uncertain period of time. To say that no important decision can be taken during a model code of conduct is a misnomer," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora said, states PTI.
Advocate Ashok Agarwal, representing the non-government organisation (NGO) Social Jurist, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting the failure to provide educational material and other statutory benefits to students in MCD schools, despite the beginning of the new academic session.
The high court has mandated that students attending MCD schools are entitled to receive free textbooks, writing materials, and uniforms by their Constitutional and statutory rights. As the schools are closing soon for summer vacations, the MCD Commissioner has been directed to fulfil these obligations without being limited to the expenditure limit of Rs 5 crore, states PTI.
