HC orders closure of unauthorised schools in Visakhapatnam d

A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Justice G. Raghuram and Justice Ramesh Ranganathan on Monday directed officers of the Education Department to close down all the schools in Visakhapatnam district that are not authorised within three days.

The Bench was dealing with a writ petition filed by Srisailam Ramesh of Visakhapatnam, who said that hundreds of schools are running without any recognition and are fleecing the students. He gave names of public schools also.

He said that at the time of examinations of 10th class the parents and students are put to serious problems as the SSC board will not permit these students to write examinations. On an earlier occasion the Bench had called for report and the Director of School education was resent in the court.

The Bench took to task the attitude of the authorities in pleading with the errant managements to obtain recognition.

The Bench said that the criminal law be put into motion. The judges directed the Education Department to close all the illegal schools within three days and launch prosecution within seven days.

After this order was passed, additional Advocate-General A. Sudershan Reddy came to the court and pleaded with the Bench to keep the order in abeyance.

The Bench did not relent and reminded that the law of land was that the schools must obtain permission. Otherwise, the law, including the criminal provisions, had to be set in motion.