Supreme Court: In a special leave petition against the judgment and order of Allahabad High Court, wherein the Court has directed the Schools in Uttar Pradesh to refund or adjust 15 percent of excess fees charged during the academic session 2020-2021 amidst Covid-19 pandemic, the division bench of Sanjiv Khanna and M.M. Sundresh, JJ. has stayed the impugned judgment to the extent it directs refund of the fee paid to ex-students, till the next date of hearing in August.
In January, the Allahabad High Court had directed the private schools to adjust or pay back the excess money, i.e., 15% of total fee that was charged from students during the Covid-19 pandemic
The Court directed the petitioner to file an affidavit enclosing therewith a copy of their balance sheets and profit and loss account for the last four years, that is, for the period between 01-04-2018 till 31-03-2022.
Further, the Court directed the petitioner to file an affidavit within six weeks from the date of this order and to indicate in the affidavit, the salary paid to the teachers and staff, and whether there was any reduction in the salary paid to them. The affidavit will also indicate whether the day-to-day running/operational expenses had come down during the said period, with reference to the period before and after this period.
[Lotus Valley International School v. State of Uttar Pradesh, Special Leave Petition (Civil) Diary No. 17014/2023, order dated 04-05-2023]