Skip to main content

Writ Petition Challenging Dismissal Of Teacher Maintainable Against Private Unaided School

In CIVIL APPEAL NO.9166 OF 2013, MARWARI BALIKA VIDYALAYA vs ASHA SRIVASTAVA , the main question for consideration in the appeal before the Supreme Court was the maintainability of writ petition as against private school receiving grant in aid to the extent of dearness allowance. The appeal has been filed against the judgment and order dated 30.1.2009 passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of Calcutta whereby the appeal filed by respondent No.1 was allowed directing his reinstatement along with back wages.

She was dismissed on grounds of 'indiscipline' after she had filed a writ petition in High Court seeking expeditious action on the approval of her appointment.

The prime contention raised by the school was that powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India could not have been invoked against a private entity.

While dismissing the appeal, the bench referred to the SC decision in Raj Kumar vs Director of Education and in Ramesh Ahluwalia vs State of Punjab. In these decisions it has been held that approval of the government education authorities was necessary even for dismissal of a private school employee. No such approval was obtained by the school in the instant case before retrenching the teacher. The said decisions also held that the employee of a private school can file writ petition in relation to service disputes. According to Ramesh Ahluwalia decision, a school is discharging a 'public function' and hence writ was maintainable against it.

Comments

Most viewed this month

The recovery of vehicles by the financier not an offence - SC

Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No. 8907  of 2009 Anup Sarmah (Petitioner) Vs Bhola Nath Sharma & Ors.(Respondents) The petitioner submitted that  respondents-financer had forcibly taken away the vehicle financed by them and  illegally deprived the petitioner from its lawful possession  and  thus,  committed  a crime. The complaint filed by the petitioner had been  entertained  by  the Judicial Magistrate (Ist Class), Gauhati (Assam) in Complaint Case  No.  608 of 2009, even directing the interim custody of the vehicle (Maruti  Zen)  be given to the petitioner vide order dated  17.3.2009.  The respondent on approaching the Guwahati High  Court against this order, the hon'ble court squashed the criminal  proceedings  pending   before  the  learned Magistrate. After hearing both sides, the Hon'ble Supreme Court decided on 30th...

Mere Agreement To Sell The Leased Property To Tenant Would Not Terminate Landlord-Tenant Relationship

In CIVIL APPEAL Nos. 1237­1238 OF 2019, Dr. H.K. Sharma vs Shri Ram Lal, the tenant had objected against the eviction suit filed by the landlord, claiming that the landlord-tenant relationship between them had ceased to exist by virtue of an agreement for sale entered between them and that he has already paid some money in advance based on the agreement. The tenant contented as the landlord-tenant relationship did not exist, the landlord cannot evict him. The matter went through various forums and finally landed before the Supreme Court in appeal. The Supreme Court referring to the judgment in Shah Mathuradas Maganlal & Co. vs. Nagappa Shankarappa Malage & Ors., held that in the instant case the lease agreement included no clauses on the fate of the tenancy. A fortiori, the parties did not intend to surrender the tenancy rights despite entering into an agreement of sale of the tenanted property. In other words, if the parties really intended to surrender their tenancy ...

Valuation Report of Jewellery once made is effective for Four Assessment Years

The division Bench of the Delhi High Court in Pr.Commissioner of Wealth Tax vs. Raghu Hari Dalmia held that a valuation report made by a registered valuer once adopted shall be in effect for four assessment years unless an event has occurred whereby the value is increased or decreased. The High Court made it clear that the event of “search” under Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 cannot compel the assessee to undertake a fresh valuation.