Disposed¶8

Laxminarayan Dhirhe v. Union of India & Ors.

Delhi HC6 Aug 2025W.P.(C)/10628/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

National Overseas Scholarship NOS Scheme provisional award letter final award letter SC candidate final selection list 01.07.2025 academic year 2025-26 writ of mandamus Articles 14 15(4) 21 46 Constitution withholding arbitrary Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment expedite two weeks 106 selected candidates 25.07.2025 Delhi High Court W.P.(C) 10628/2025 Vikas Mahajan August 2025 disposed.

What did the court decide?

Respondents directed to expedite the entire process and issue the final award letter under the NOS Scheme in favour of the petitioner, preferably within two weeks; the provisional award letter dated 25.07.2025 had already been issued to the petitioner and taken on record. ¶8

Laxminarayan Dhirhe Vs Union of India & Ors. — Delhi HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

¶8

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, an SC candidate figuring in the final selection list dated 01.07.2025 under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme for academic year 2025-26, was entitled to immediate issuance of provisional award letters and release of scholarship funds, the withholding being alleged to be arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 15(4), 21 and 46 of the Constitution. +1 more

¶2

Court's answer

The court determined that the Government had already taken a decision to award the scholarship to the petitioner, the principal grievance therefore being addressed, and confined the matter to administrative expedition.

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Ratio / Principle

The respondents were directed to expedite the entire process and issue the final award letter in favour of the petitioner, preferably within a period of two weeks.

¶7

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Delhi (Vikas Mahajan, J.), W.P.(C) 10628/2025 — disposed of 06.08.2025. Petitioner Laxminarayan Dhirhe, an SC candidate figuring in the final selection list dated 01.07.2025 under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme for AY 2025-26, sought a writ of mandamus for immediate issuance of provisional award letters and release of scholarship funds, alleging that the withholding was arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 15(4), 21 and 46 of the Constitution, and prayed for time-bound disbursal guidelines. Instructions produced by the Union of India, taken on record, showed that with competent-authority approval provisional award letters were issued on 25.07.2025 to all 106 selected candidates including the petitioner; the petitioner's provisional award letter dated 25.07.2025 was likewise taken on record. Holding that the Government had already decided to award the scholarship, the court directed the respondents to expedite the entire process and issue the final award letter in favour of the petitioner preferably within two weeks; the petition was disposed of in those terms.

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$~11

¶2

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

¶3

W.P.(C) 10628/2025 LAXMINARAYAN DHIRHE .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Sushant Singh, Mr. Gaurav Govinda, Mr. Kunal Awana, Mr. Abhinav Arora, Ms. Aana Sharma, Mr. Amit Kumar, Mr. Anurag Mehta, Mr. Neeraj Dahiya and Mr. Hitesh Yadav, Advs.

¶4

versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Respondent Through: Mr. Farman Ali, SPC with Mr. Hussain Adil Taqvi, GP and Ms. Usha Jamnal, Advs. for UOI.

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIKAS MAHAJAN O R D E R

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% 06.08.2025

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The present petition has been filed seeking following relief:

¶8

“(a) Issue a writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order, or direction directing the Respondents to immediately issue provisional award letters and release scholarship funds to the petitioner under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) Scheme for the academic year 2025–26, as per the final selection list dated 01.07.2025;

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(b) Declare that the withholding of scholarships to the petitioner despite their inclusion in the merit list and availability of allocated funds, is arbitrary, unreasonable, and violative of Articles 14, 15(4), 21, and 46 of the Constitution of India;

¶10

(c) Issue a writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate direction commanding the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to frame transparent, fair, and time-bound guidelines governing the approval and disbursal of funds, and to ensure non-discriminatory implementation of the NOS Scheme in the future;”

¶11

This is a digitally signed order.

¶12

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 11/08/2025 at 12:47:53

¶13

The only grievance articulated in the present petition was that the petitioner has not been considered for the scholarship, under the National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) as SC candidates in terms of the policy.

¶14

Mr. Farman Ali, learned SPC had appeared on behalf of Union of India on the last date and sought time to seek instructions.

¶15

Mr. Ali has handed over a copy of the instructions received by him across the bar, the same are taken on record. A perusal of said instructions shows that with the approval of the competent authority, provisional award letters have been issued on 25.07.2025 to all 106 selected candidates including the petitioner herein.

¶16

He has also handed over a copy of provisional award letter dated 25.07.2025 pertaining to the petitioner, a copy of which has been given to the petitioner’s counsel in the Court. The said letter is also taken on record.

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The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner submits that the issuance of provisional award letters is to be followed by issuance of final award letter, therefore, necessary direction may be given to the respondent to expedite the entire process.

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In view of the fact the Government has already taken a decision to award scholarship to the petitoner, the respondents are directed to expedite the entire process and issue the final award letter in favour of the petitioner, preferably within a period of two weeks.

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The petition stands disposed of in the above terms.

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VIKAS MAHAJAN, J

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AUGUST 6, 2025/ N.S. ASWAL

¶22

This is a digitally signed order.

¶23

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 11/08/2025 at 12:47:53

Laxminarayan Dhirhe v. Union of India & Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Laxminarayan Dhirhe v. Union of India & Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

Procedural history

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

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