Disposed¶21

Satnam Singh v. State of Punjab and Anr.

Punjab & Haryana HC19 May 2025CWP-PIL/76/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Keywords: RTE Act 2009; Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011; Rule 7(4); 25% quota; weaker section; disadvantaged groups; unaided private schools; Class I admission; writ of certiorari; withdrawal of offending provision by State of Punjab; infructuous petition; interim order dated 28.2.2025; disposal in terms of order dated 9.4.2025 in CWP-PIL No.285 of 2024; CM No.66-CWPIL-2025; CM No.67-CWPIL2025; High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh; CWP-PIL No.76 of 2024 (O & M); decided 19.5.2025; Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice; Sumeet Goel, Judge.

What did the court decide?

The fundamental prayer of the petitioner had been rendered infructuous in view of the State of Punjab having withdrawn the offending provision (Rule 7(4)); on this basis CWP-PIL No.285 of 2024 was disposed of vide order dated 9.4.2025.

Satnam Singh Vs State of Punjab and Anr. — Punjab & Haryana HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Disposed

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Issue for consideration

Whether Rule 7(4) of the Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011 violates the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 by frustrating admission of children of weaker sections and disadvantaged groups to Class I in unaided private schools under the 25% quota.

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Court's answer

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Ratio / Principle

In view of the above, the present petition (CWP-PIL No.76 of 2024 (O & M)) also stands disposed of in terms of the order dated 9.4.2025 passed in CWP-PIL-285 of 2024.

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Key takeaways

Since the main petition itself has been disposed of, no orders are required in CM No.66-CWPIL-2025 and CM No.67-CWPIL2025, and both applications stand disposed of.ratio¶22

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh (Sheel Nagu, CJ, with Sumeet Goel, J; oral order) — decision dated 19.5.2025 disposing of CWP-PIL No.76 of 2024 (O & M) filed by Satnam Singh seeking a writ of certiorari to quash Rule 7 (4) of the Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011 as being in violation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and as frustrating admission of children of weaker sections and disadvantaged groups to Class I in unaided private schools under the 25% quota. After notice of motion and an interim order dated 28.2.2025 (in the same terms as CWP-PIL No.285 of 2024), the allied petition CWP-PIL No.285 of 2024 was disposed of vide order dated 9.4.2025 as its fundamental prayer had become infructuous owing to the State of Punjab withdrawing the offending provision; the present petition was accordingly disposed of in terms of that order, and CM No.66-CWPIL-2025 and CM No.67-CWPIL2025 were also disposed of. No point of merits was adjudicated.

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CWP-PIL No.76 of 2024 (O & M) -1-

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

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226/2

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CWP-PIL No.76 of 2024 (O & M) Date of decision : 19.5.2025

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Satnam Singh ………….Petitioner

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Versus

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State of Punjab and another …….Respondents

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SHEEL NAGU, CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL

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Present: Ms. Nisha Rana, Advocate Mr. Ashu Rana, Advocate Ms. Priya Sahoo, Advocate, for the petitioners

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Mr. Salil Sabhlok, Senior DAG, Punjab

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Mr. Dilpreet S. Gandhi, Advocate, for the applicant In CMs No.66-67-CWPIL of 2024

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SHEEL NAGU, CJ. (ORAL)

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The instant petition has been filed seeking issuance of writ of certiorari for quashing Rule 7 (4) of the Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011, being in violation of the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (in short ‘the RTE Act, 2009’); and also for the impugned provision having frustrated the right of the children of weaker section and disadvantaged groups to seek admission in unaided private schools under 25% quota of the RTE Act, 2009. The petitioner further prays for

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issuance of directions to the respondents to direct the unaided private

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Ashwani Kumar 2025.05.26 10:27 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

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CWP-PIL No.76 of 2024 (O & M) -2-

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schools to give admissions to children of weaker section and disadvantaged groups in Class I without any pre-condition as envisaged in the impugned provision and to restrain them from making any admissions to Class I without ensuring admission to 25% students from weaker sections.

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After issuing notice of motion, this Court on 28.2.2025 passed interim order in the same terms as in CWP-PIL No.285 of 2024.

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Vide order dated 9.4.2025, the said petition i.e. CWP-PIL No.285 of 2024 was disposed of since the fundamental prayer of the petitioner had rendered infructuous in view of State of Punjab having withdrawn the offending provision.

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In view of the above, the present petition also stands disposed of in terms of order dated 9.4.2025 passed in CWP-PIL-285 of 2024.

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Since main petition itself has been disposed of, no orders are required to be passed in CM No.66-CWPIL-2025 and CM No.67-CWPIL2025, and the same are disposed of.

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(SHEEL NAGU) CHIEF JUSTICE

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(SUMEET GOEL) JUDGE

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19.5.2025

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Ashwani

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Whether speaking/reasoned: Whether reportable:

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Yes/No Yes/No