Drdo Aided Schools Staff Association Vs Ravindra Singh & Ors. — Contempt of Court | Delhi HC (2026)

Drdo Aided Schools Staff Association Vs Ravindra Singh & Ors. — Contempt of Court | Delhi HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition disposed of with directions that the Petitioners provide the requisite documents (NoC and unconditional consent letter) to DAVC within one week, executed without prejudice to their rights and contentions and subject to the outcome of pending W.P.(C) 16930/2025, upon receipt of which the orders dated 14.05.2026 and 21.05.2026 are to be complied with.

Issue for consideration

How can compliance with this Court's orders dated 14.05.2026 and 21.05.2026 (release of salaries) be secured when the Petitioners have not executed the NoC and unconditional consent letter forwarded by email, on account of which the release of salaries has been withheld? +1 more

Court's answer

The release of the Petitioners' salaries has been withheld on account of their non-cooperation in executing the requisite documents (NoC and unconditional consent letter) forwarded by email.

Ratio / Principle

In order to facilitate compliance with the orders dated 14th May, 2026 and 21st May, 2026, the Petitioners are directed to execute the requisite documents, including the NoC and the consent letter.

Key takeaways

Execution of such documents shall be without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the Petitioners and shall remain subject to the outcome of the pending writ petition.ratio¶¶22
On receipt of the documentation (which counsel for the Petitioner undertook to provide to DAVC within one week), the orders dated 14th May, 2026 and 21st May, 2026 are to be complied with.ratio¶¶23

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Delhi HC (Sanjeev Narula, J), 08.07.2026 - CONT.CAS(C) 1139/2026, DRDO Aided Schools Staff Association v Ravindra Singh & Ors.: Compliance petition alleging that DAVC (Respondent No. 11 in W.P.(C) 16930/2025) had not released teachers' and other staff salaries despite this Court's orders dated 14.05.2026 and 21.05.2026, following the 20.04.2026 Memorandum of Agreement between DRES and DAVC. The Court recorded that salaries were withheld because the staff had not executed the NoC and unconditional consent letter forwarded by email. Directions: staff to execute and hand over the documents to DAVC within one week, execution being expressly without prejudice to their rights and contentions and subject to the outcome of the pending writ petition, whereupon the May 2026 orders are to be complied with. Petition disposed of; no statute or precedent cited.

$~95

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

- CONT.CAS(C) 1139/2026 & CM APPLs. 42024-42026/2026

DRDO AIDED SCHOOLS STAFF ASSOCIATION .....Petitioner

Through: Mr. Himanshu Gupta, Advocate.

versus

RAVINDRA SINGH & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Ms. Tanvi Nigam, SPC, UoI with Mr. Divyansh Nigam, Advocate for R-1 to R-5.

Mr. Namit Suri and Ms. Pepakayala Geetanjali, Advocates for R-6 and R- 7/DAV.

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA

O R D E R % 08.07.2026

By this petition, the Petitioner, an association of the DRDO aided schools’ staff, alleges non-compliance of orders dated 14^th May, 2026 and 21^st May, 2026 passed in W.P.(C) 16930/2025. The grievance of the Petitioner is that, despite the specific directions issued by this Court, Respondent No. 11 in W.P.(C) 16930/2025, namely Dayanand Anglo Vedic College Trust and Management Society,¹ has not released the salaries of the teachers and other staff members.

The Court has heard counsel for the parties on this issue.

1 “DAVC”

This is a digitally signed order.

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 13/07/2026 at 15:17:18

Counsel appearing for DAVC submits that the teachers and other staff members are insisting that their service conditions should continue to be governed by the terms and conditions applicable under the erstwhile management. According to him, the Petitioners have no legal right to insist upon the continuance of those terms and conditions after the management has been taken over by DAVC. He submits that, since DAVC has now assumed the management of the school, the Petitioners are required to be governed by the terms and conditions prescribed by DAVC.

Indeed, the Petitioners have not executed the requisite documents forwarded to them by email, including a No Objection Certificate (NoC) and an unconditional consent letter. It is on account of such non-cooperation that the release of their salaries has been withheld.

In response, counsel for the Petitioner submits that the Memorandum of Agreement dated 20^th April, 2026 executed between the Defence Research Educational Society² and DAVC cannot, in any manner, affect the rights of the Petitioners, whose service conditions continue to be governed by their original agreements with DRES. It is submitted that this very issue falls for adjudication in the pending writ petition.

In order to facilitate compliance with the orders dated 14^th May, 2026 and 21^st May, 2026 while preserving the rival rights and contentions of the parties, it is directed that the Petitioners shall execute the requisite documents, including the NoC and the consent

This is a digitally signed order.

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 13/07/2026 at 15:17:18

letter. The execution of such documents shall, however, be without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the Petitioners and shall remain subject to the outcome of the pending writ petition.

Counsel for the Petitioner states that the necessary documentation shall be provided to DAVC within a period of one week. On receipt of such documentation, the order dated 14^th May, 2026 and 21^st May, 2026 be complied with.

With the above directions, the petition is disposed of.

SANJEEV NARULA, J

JULY 8, 2026/ hc

2 “DRES”

This is a digitally signed order. 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 13/07/2026 at 15:17:18