The Court said that the fundamental rights of young children to receive textbooks cannot be trampled upon merely because the Chief Minister is not available.
Arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cannot be ground for non-distribution of school textbooks to students, the Delhi High Court said on Monday while allowing the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to incur the expenses required for the same [Social Jurist v Government of NCT of Delhi & Ors].
A Division Bench of Acting Chief Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said that fundamental rights of young children cannot be trampled upon merely because the Chief Minister is not available.
“Consequently, this Court is of the view that non-availability of Chief Minister or non-formation of a Standing Committee or disputes pertaining to appointment of an aldermen by the Hon’ble LG or non-delivery of judgment by a competent Court or non-compliance of certain provisions of Delhi Municipal Corporation Act cannot come in the way of the school-going children receiving their free text books, writing material and uniform forthwith,” the Court said.
Hence, it proceeded to direct the following:
“Consequently, as the students of MCD schools are entitled for free text books, writing material and uniform in accordance with their Constitutional and statutory rights, and the schools are going to close for summer vacations shortly, this Court directs the Commissioner, MCD to incur the expenditure required for fulfilling the said obligations forthwith without being constrained by the expenditure limit of Rs. Five crores. However, the expenditure incurred by the Commissioner, MCD shall be subject to statutory audit.”
The Delhi government had earlier told the Court that the standing committee of MCD is empowered to take decision as regards the finances of the MCD but the constitution of standing committee is under dispute which is pending before the Supreme Court.
It had further stated that regarding the delegation of such powers regarding finance to the MCD Commissioner, the Chief Minister’s approval would be required and since the Delhi CM is lodged in jail in a money laundering case, the same is yet to be obtained.
The Court, however, took strong objection to the argument, stating that it is against national interest, if a Chief Minister remains absent for so long.
“It amounts to an admission that the Delhi Government, due to absence of the Chief Minister is at a standstill. A Chief Minister’s post in any State, leave alone a buzzing capital city like Delhi is not a ceremonial post. It is a post where the office holder (when in office) has to be virtually available 24 x 7 to deal with any crisis or natural disaster like flooding, fire, disease etc. 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 time,” the Court said.
The order was passed in a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by an organisation named Social Jurist
The plea stated that the students studying in MCD schools have not received textbooks and were studying in tin sheds because of the logjam in the civic body.
During one of the earlier hearings in the case, the MCD Commissioner had joined the proceedings and informed the Bench that nearly two lakh students do not have any bank account, uniform and, therefore, stationery reimbursement has not been made to these students.
He had stated that one of the major reasons for non-distribution of notebooks, stationery items, uniforms and school bags is ‘non-formation of Standing Committees’ and that only Standing Committee has the power and jurisdiction to award contracts worth more than ₹5 crores.
The Court had then observed that there cannot be a vacuum and if the Standing Committee is not available for any reason, the financial power needs to be delegated to an appropriate authority by the Delhi government.
The High Court had castigated the AAP government for its failure to provide textbooks to students.
The Bench had remarked that Delhi government is only interested in appropriation of power and is putting personal interests over national interest.
The Court had remarked that it arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cannot be an excuse to create vacuum in the governance and that it is “the personal call of the Chief Minister that he wants the government to be paralysed”.
It had also commented on the conduct of Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj and said that he has turned a blind eye to the plight of students and is shedding crocodile tears.