Disposed¶21

Kanwaljit Kaur v. Punjabi Academy & Ors.

Delhi HC21 Jan 2026W.P.(C)/650/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Part-time Punjabi teachers; parity with Avtar Singh petitioners (2025: DHC : 5596); salary refixation direction extended; undertaking for academic year 2025-26 cannot dilute directions; subject to pending LPA 29/2026; W.P.(C) 582/2026 with W.P.(C) 641, 642, 643, 644, 645 & 650/2026; Punjabi Academy; GNCTD; MCD; disposed in terms of earlier judgment; Delhi High Court; Sanjeev Narula, J.; order dated 21.01.2026.

What did the court decide?

Petitions disposed of in terms of the directions issued in Avtar Singh & Ors.; Petitioners entitled to similar reliefs (parity including salary refixation as directed therein), subject to the outcome of the pending LPA 29/2026; any undertaking sought from the Petitioners shall not dilute the extended directions. ¶21

Kanwaljit Kaur Vs Punjabi Academy & Ors. — Delhi HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

¶21

Issue for consideration

Whether the Petitioners, part-time teachers engaged for teaching Punjabi and continuously working for over 15 years, are entitled to parity with the similarly situated petitioners in W.P.(C) 3675/2017 and connected matters (Avtar Singh), including refixation of their salaries. +1 more

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Court's answer

It is not in dispute that the Petitioners are similarly situated to the petitioners in Avtar Singh, in whose favour this Court has already directed the Respondents to refix the salaries.

¶18

Ratio / Principle

The present writ petition is disposed of in terms of the direction issued in Avtar Singh, and the Petitioners shall be entitled to similar reliefs.

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Key takeaways

Since the Avtar Singh judgment is pending challenge in appeal, the directions issued herein remain subject to the outcome of the pending LPA 29/2026.ratio¶20
Any undertaking sought to be obtained from the Petitioners by the Respondents shall not dilute the directions issued in Avtar Singh, which stand extended to the present Petitioners.ratio¶20

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Delhi High Court (Sanjeev Narula, J.), by order dated 21.01.2026, disposed of W.P.(C) 582/2026 and connected petitions (W.P.(C) 641, 642, 643, 644, 645 & 650/2026) filed by part-time Punjabi teachers with over 15 years of continuous service who claimed parity with the similarly situated petitioners in Avtar Singh & Ors. v. Punjabi Academy & Ors., 2025: DHC : 5596. Holding it undisputed that the Petitioners were similarly situated to the Avtar Singh petitioners, in whose favour the Court had already directed refixation of salaries, the Court disposed of the petitions in terms of the directions in Avtar Singh and extended similar reliefs to the Petitioners, subject to the outcome of LPA 29/2026 in which the Avtar Singh judgment is under challenge. The Court further clarified that any undertaking insisted upon by the Respondents/Punjabi Academy for the academic year 2025-26 shall not dilute the directions in Avtar Singh as extended to the present Petitioners.

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$~5 to 11

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

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W.P.(C) 582/2026 LALITA RANI .....Petitioner

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versus

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PUNJABI ACADEMY & ORS. .....Respondents

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With

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W.P.(C) 641/2026, W.P.(C) 642/2026, W.P.(C) 643/2026, W.P.(C) 644/2026, W.P.(C) 645/2026 & W.P.(C) 650/2026.

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For Petitioner:

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For Respondents: Mrs. Avnish Ahlawat, SC, GNCTD with Mr. Manish Gusai, Ms. Aliza Alam & Mr. Mohnish Sehrawat, Advocates for R-1 & R-2. Dr. Divya Swamy, SC with Mr. Yagyawalkya Singh, Mr. Anubhav Agrawal, Mr. Rishav Ranjan, Ms. Nidhi Kumar, Ms. Akriti Singh, Ms. Ananya & Mr. Sikhar, Advocates for MCD.

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CORAM:

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HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA

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O R D E R % 21.01.2026

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The Petitioners submit that they were engaged as part-time teachers for teaching Punjabi and have been continuously working for over 15 years. They claim parity with similarly situated petitioners who had approached this Court in W.P.(C) 3675/2017 and connected matters, and seek appropriate directions in that regard.

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It is also pointed out that the Punjabi Academy has now started insisting upon an undertaking for the academic year 2025–26, and that

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This is a digitally signed order.

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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 27/01/2026 at 12:39:08

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furnishing such undertaking may prejudice the Petitioners’ entitlement to the benefits already extended by this Court to similarly placed petitioners in ‘Avtar Singh & Ors. v. Punjabi Academy & Ors.’ .¹ Accordingly, a prayer is also made that the Respondents be restrained from insisting on the undertaking referred to in paragraph 12 of the petition.

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The Court has heard the counsel for the parties. It is not in dispute that the Petitioners are similarly situated to the petitioners in Avtar Singh & Ors . , wherein this Court has already directed the Respondents to refix the salaries of the petitioners.

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The Court is informed that the aforesaid judgment is under challenge in LPA 29/2026 , wherein notice has been issued on the application seeking condonation of delay.

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In view of the above, the present writ petition is disposed of in terms of the direction issued in Avtar Singh & Ors. The Petitioners shall be entitle to similar reliefs. Since the said judgment is pending challenge in appeal, the directions herein shall remain subject to the outcome of the pending LPA. It is further clarified that any undertaking sought to be obtained from the Petitioners by the Respondents shall not dilute the directions issued by this Court in Avtar Singh & Ors . , which stand extended to the present Petitioners.

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With the above directions, the present petitions are disposed of.

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SANJEEV NARULA, J

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JANUARY 21, 2026/ hc

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1 2025: DHC : 5596.

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This is a digitally signed order.

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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 27/01/2026 at 12:39:08

Kanwaljit Kaur v. Punjabi Academy & Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Kanwaljit Kaur v. Punjabi Academy & Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

Cases cited

Procedural history

Parties & counsel

Coram

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