The Delhi High Court has refused to interfere with the decision of the city government to fill all seats available under the economically weaker section (EWS) quota through computerised draw of lots after inviting online applications for admission to Class II onwards in private or unaided recognised schools here.
A Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao dismissed the petition by Divine Organisation Rural Education (DORE) seeking not to implement the online system of admission in schools here.
In its plea, DORE had challenged the Delhi government’s July 27 circular in which it decided to fill all seats available under freeship quota and also the EWS category through computerised draw of lots after inviting online applications for admission to schools.
‘Unjust and arbitrary’
It had termed the decision as “unjust and arbitrary” and sought to restore manual or offline method of admission for students belonging to the EWS category. It contended that the government has not put in place a mechanism for online admissions. It also submitted that the online admission process shall result in many seats going waste.
The city government’s counsel submitted that the High Court had upheld the online admission process. It further refuted the claim that many of the seats will go waste, if done online, saying “if any vacancy remains, admission is undertaken through further draw of lots”.
The Bench took note of the government’s counsel submission that admissions through manual applications may lead to irregularities in the admission process.
“Suffice it to state, the plea of the learned counsel for the petitioner that the applications should also be invited through offline process cannot be accepted,” the Bench said.
“Noting the above, we do not see any reason to exercise our extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution. The petition is dismissed,” the High Court ordered.
