Kerala High Court: C.S. Dias, J., while referring the present petition to a Division Bench of the Court stated that,
Right to education is sacrosanct in the Constitution of India and is the mandate under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
Petitioners submitted that the respondents 7th and 8th where their children are pursuing their studies have been insisting for payment of additional fees in order to facilitate virtual classrooms in view of COVID-19.
It is disheartening to learn that a student allegedly took away her life due to lack of access to the internet for attending virtual classes.
Payment of Fees
Petitioner in the context of their grievance also submitted that some State/UTs had formulated guidelines for the conduct of online classes and ordered that the students should not be denied education for want of payment of fees during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Matter adjourned to Division Bench
In exercise of powers of this High Court, under Section 3 of the Kerala high Court Act, 1958, and in view of the substantial public interest in the petition, bench adjourned the matter to Division Bench of this Court.
Interim Order by Single Bench
In view of the outbreak of pandemic, respondents 6 and 7 have been directed not to levy any additional fee from petitioners children until further order.[Sreelekshmi v. State of Kerala, WP (C) No. 10867 of 2020, decided on 03-06-2020]
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