The High Court of Karnataka on Friday said the Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction, would have to be personally present in court on January 23 if the State government fails to ensure complete compliance with its 2015 circular issued to schools on displaying important particulars, including fee details.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Aravind Kumar passed the order while declining time till February, as was sought by the government counsel, for ensuring total compliance with the circular, which was issued way back on April 23, 2015.
During a hearing on a PIL petition on the matter, the court was informed by the government counsel that 16,739 schools had already complied with the mandate while 2,129 schools were yet to do so.
“If the complete compliance of the requirements of the said circular by all the district deputy directors is not stated on the next date, the Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction, shall be required to remain personally present before the court,” the Bench said in its order.
N.P. Amrutesh, in his petition filed in May 2016, had alleged that though the circular came into force from the academic year 2015-16, the State authorities had failed to implement it and a large number of schools had not displayed the particulars even after the start of 2016-17.
