The Permanent Lok Adalat in Theni district on Wednesday directed Velammal High School at Muthudevanpatti not to collect fees from a student, S. Vaibav, till the school administration and District Chief Educational Officer (CEO) filed documents with regard to the fee structure approved for the school before the court.
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Chairperson of the court A. Mohamed Jiyaputheen and members A. Kumaresan and Pratap Singh directed the school principal or any other officer of the school and CEO to appear before the Lok Adalat on September 29.
The school administration has been asked to submit documents regarding the fee structure approved for the school by the State government and the CEO has been directed to submit relevant documents.
The father of the student, S. Sivakumaran, had filed a petition before the Permanent Lok Adalat seeking action against the school administration and the CEO after the school had reportedly demanded payment of money over and above the government-prescribed fees for his son.
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When he took up the issue with the CEO, the officer told him that he would order the school to display in public the fee structure approved for it. However, the school authorities insisted on payment of the fees they had demanded.
After taking up the complaint on July 26, the Lok Adalat summoned the school authorities on August 26. An accountant from the school, who appeared before the court without any documents, gave in writing that the school principal would appear during the next hearing on Wednesday. The CEO was also instructed to appear on the same day.
However, both the principal and the CEO failed to appear on Wednesday.