Allahabad HC dismisses petitions against UP government's plan to merge primary, upper primary schools
The single judge Bench, comprising Justice Pankaj Bhatia, thereby upheld the State government's decision for pairing of eligible schools with nearby educational facilities to make the education system more functional and viable.
Notably, the teachers' association and the opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, opposed the school merger plan of the State government, which remained firm on its decision.
According to an official, the decision was taken in the best interest of students. As per the official figures, there are 1.40 lakh government primary and upper primary schools in the State, of which 29,000 have 50 or fewer students.
Around 89,000 teachers are posted in these schools. The broader plan is to shift students from low-enrollment schools to nearby institutions with larger campuses and better facilities.
However, challenging the June 16 order of the State government, a total of 51 students from Sitapur district had approached the Allahabad High Court through their guardians.
The petitioners contended that the State government order was violative of Art 21A of the Constitution of India. The petitioners, represented by advocate LP Mishra and Gaurav Mehrotra, contended that the decision to mere the schools would undermine the interest of the children as they would have to travel longer distances to reach the school.
Meanwhile, the State justified the decision by submitting that the move would be in larger interest of the students and it would pave way for better utilisation of the resources.
The State government apprised the Bench that the objective of the education department was to make better use of resources, reduce dropout rate while ensuring quality education.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Bombay high court quashes arrest of Goa councillor over alleged PFI links
Panaji: The Bombay high court at Goa has quashed the arrest of a municipal councillor who was taken into custody in September 2022 over alleged links to the Popular Front of India (PFI), ruling that the arrest—made on the grounds of a perceived likelihood of committing a cognizable offence—violated his fundamental right to reputation. The Bombay high court at Goa has quashed the arrest of a municipal councillor who was taken into custody in September 2022 over alleged links to the Popular Front of India The division bench of justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta, in an order passed on August 11, also ruled that 'a mere apprehension that the person may indulge in illegal activities in future and there is a possibility of breach of peace in the locality or commission of any cognisable offence' was not sufficient ground to justify the arrest. The court was hearing a plea filed by Sarfaraz Sayyad, a municipal councillor of the Valpoi Municipality and a journalist, who, along with three others, was arrested on September 29, 2022, on the premise that he was a member of the outfit 'PFI,' which had been declared an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Following their production before the court, they were directed to be released upon the execution of a personal bond of ₹1 lakh each and one surety, ordinarily residing within the local limits of the Valpoi Police Station. Also Read: HC junks rules allowing changes to Goa green zones 'When we test the aforesaid arrest in the backdrop of Article 21, i.e. 'right to life and liberty', which has considered a right to reputation as a cherished right and an important facet of Article 21 of the Constitution of India, as the term 'life' is of wider amplitude and necessarily convey, life with dignity and involve reputation of a person, with the Petitioner being enjoying a position in the society, he definitely has a right to contend that his image in the society has been tarnished on account of the action of his wrongful arrest without sufficiency of the material justifying such an arrest under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC),' the high court ruled. The high court in its ruling said that there wasn't enough material to suggest the arrested persons were part of a design to commit any cognizable offence to justify the arrest under preventable provisions. 'We do not find any material in that regard as we have noted that except expressing an apprehension of likelihood of such activity being committed, with no concrete material establishing the link of the petitioner with the PFI or substantially establishing that he has indulged in activities of the unlawful association in the past giving rise to an apprehension that he may indulge into the said activities, upon it being declared an unlawful association, is conspicuously absent,' the court added. Also Read: High Court in Goa refuses former CM's petition to stay release of film 'Costao' 'No other specific material was placed before the magistrate regarding the design or intention to indulge in any cognisable offence, which could not have been prevented unless and until he was arrested,' the bench said. The court also ruled that 'a provision which necessarily gives a go by to the normal process of arrest by either obtaining a warrant or without obtaining necessary orders from the magistrate must be discharged with accountability and responsibility.' The prosecution said that they intentionally did not disclose the said material, as it would have adverse impact and such material obtained through intelligence could not be placed in public domain' and claimed that the arrest was a bona fide exercise of power was taken to avoid any situation of law and order trouble/communal tension at the hands of the antisocial elements and also in the view of the fact that the meeting of the banned organisation had already been once held in the town.' The court left it open for the petitioner to seek compensation before an appropriate forum.
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
‘Sanghi-saathi' should thank British on completing 100 yrs: Akhilesh
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday took a veiled dig at the RSS after it was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, saying it should thank the British on completion of its 100 years as some organisations were made by them so that the country could be divided on religious lines. Speaking to reporters at the Janeshwar Mishra Park in Lucknow after hoisting the tricolour, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also questioned the prime minister's 'swadeshi' pitch, saying those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi in mind. He hit out at the ruling BJP, saying it should not tell lies and no politics should be done on this day. 'This group of Sanghi saathis... I want to remind them that when the BJP was formed and the person who became the first national president of the BJP, in its first session, it was decided that the political ideology of the party would be socialist and secular. 'And, on this completion of 100 years, they should congratulate the British. Because we have heard and some historians have also written that some organisations were made by the British so that 'Bharat' could be divided on religious lines, a gulf could be created between Hindus and Muslims. 'Hence, the Sanghi saathis, whose first ideology is socialist and secular, they should remember it, so that the country can move forward,' Yadav said. Prime Minister Modi on Friday hailed 100 years of RSS as a 'very proud and glorious' journey of the 'world's biggest NGO' and lauded all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation. The prime minister also made a sweeping call for 'swadeshi' (Made in India) -- self-reliance and innovation in a gamut of sectors, including semiconductors, social media, fertiliser and pharma. 'Those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi from mind as well,' Yadav said, while raising issues like US tariffs and GST. 'The BJP people should not be speaking lies on August 15 (Independence Day), a day which is celebrated with joy. No politics should be done during this,' the SP chief said. 'Our borders should be secured, our Army should be strong, and schemes like Agniveer should be stopped. And, we also see those people, who appear to be 'swadeshi' from speech, but are 'videshi' (foreigners) from the mind ('aur hum unn logo ko bhi dekhte hai jo mooh se to swadeshi hai, lekin mann se videshi hai'). 'If someone is a foreigner in mind, then how will our business increase? Today, a country like the US is posing a problem for our industrialists by imposing tariffs,' Yadav said. He said a district like Bhadohi used to do trade worth thousands of crores of rupees but now its business has shrunk significantly. 'And, there is China -- our neighbour, which occupies our land from time to time, has captured our entire market. Today, we have the highest trade deficit with China. Hence, those who are swadeshi only by speech should become swadeshi from mind as well,' Yadav said. India has recorded trade surplus with as many as 151 countries such as the US and the Netherlands, while the country has a trade deficit with 75 nations, including China and Russia, during the first half of this year, according to think tank GTRI (Global Trade Research Initiative). Yadav also said that the 'web of GST and fear-inducing ('daraane waalee) institutions such as ED, CBI and Income Tax, will not allow our trade to increase, but will lead to closure'. Referring to the dropping of the atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the SP chief said, 'After the dropping of bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, the results which were visible, the world accepted that it will never go into an atomic war. We will not use atomic energy to take someone's life.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
Opposition targets PM on RSS praise: ‘Insult to freedom struggle, shameful'
The opposition on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) in his Independence Day address. Terming the speech 'stale, hypocritical, insipid, and troubling', Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said the PM mentioned the RSS since he was 'decisively weakened' after the 2024 Lok Sabha results and was 'reliant on (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat's good offices for the extension of his tenure'. 'The most troubling element of the PM's speech today was his name-checking of the RSS from the ramparts of the Red Fort — a blatant breach of the spirit of a constitutional, secular republic. It is nothing but a desperate attempt to appease the organisation in the run-up to his (PM's) 75th birthday next month,' Ramesh posted on X. 'This politicisation of Independence Day for personal and organisational gain is deeply corrosive to our democratic ethos,' he said, adding, 'The PM was tired today. Soon he will be retired.' Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the PM's speech was 'not of uniting but breaking India'. 'By naming the Sangh from the Red Fort, the PM has insulted Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Constitution of India and the Indian tricolour,' Khera said on X. Modi on Friday hailed 100 years of RSS as a 'very proud and glorious' journey of the 'world's biggest NGO' and lauded all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation. The BJP, on its part, said the PM had spoken about the Sangh to commemorate its 100th year. 'In 1963, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru invited the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to join the Republic Day parade and called it 'an organisation of patriots…' As the RSS marks 100 years, it is fitting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentions it from the Red Fort,' said BJP IT and media cell chief Amit Malviya. The BJP also questioned the absence of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav took a veiled dig at the RSS after it was lauded by the PM, saying 'it should congratulate the British on the completion of its 100 years'. 'The BJP itself had resolved to follow the path of secularism. The RSS ideology does not align with secularism… On this completion of 100 years, they should congratulate the British. Because we have heard and some historians have also written that some organisations were made by the British so that 'Bharat' could be divided on religious lines…,' he said. CPI (M) general secretary M A Baby accused Modi of 'dishonouring the memory of India's martyrs and the spirit of our freedom movement' by lauding the RSS. 'This is profoundly unacceptable and shameful,' he said in a post on X. '… it is deeply regrettable that Prime Minister Modi…chose to praise the RSS — an organisation with a dubious historical record,' Baby said. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said 'glorifying the RSS in an Independence Day speech is an insult' to the freedom struggle. 'They (RSS) never joined the fight for Independence and hated Gandhi more than they ever opposed the British… RSS rejects the values of inclusive nationalism that motivated our freedom fighters,' he said. 'The ideology of Hindutva believes in exclusion and is antithetical to the values of our Constitution. Modi could have gone to Nagpur to praise RSS as a Swayamsevak, why did he have to do it from the Red Fort as the Prime Minister,' he asked. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha accused PM Modi of having spoken from a perspective of 'dog-whistling and politics', having 'distorted history' and 'negated the foundation' on which the country was built. 'Dog-whistling, politics…it does not behove you even during elections; but when you…spread lies from the ramparts of the Red Fort, legitimise hatred and enmity…it is an opportunity for you, Pradhan Mantri ji, to introspect where we have reached from 'A tryst with destiny…'' he said. The Trinamool Congress accused the Prime Minister of using his I-Day address to target 'infiltrators' as a 'new enemy'. 'After Andolanjeevis etc now 'infiltrators' are the new target. Again, new 'missions' announced while targeting past governments. When will Modi give an August 15 speech truthfully, addressing his own record of 11 years marked by over-promising and under-achieving,' TMC Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose posted on X. The Congress reiterated its concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar among other issues such as unemployment, 'open misuse' of constitutional bodies and investigative agencies over the last decade under the BJP. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge credited the party's 'visionary leaders' for having laid the foundation for a strong India and accused the BJP of being 'ready to stoop to any level of immorality to stay in power'. 'Large-scale irregularities in elections are coming to light. Under the guise of SIR, opposition voters are being openly removed from the rolls,' he said.
