Unpaid DU teachers: HC declines to lift stay, insists on replies from 12 colleges

New delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday declined to lift stay at this stage its order on the decision of the Delhi Government asking 12 Delhi University colleges, which are fully funded by it to pay outstanding salaries of staffers from the students' fund.

It said it will decide the application seeking vacation of stay only after hearing all the parties and sought replies of 12 colleges. Justice Jyoti Singh issued notices to the 12 colleges and Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) on the Delhi government's application to vacate the stay order.

The court also granted three weeks time to the colleges to file their replies to the petition filed by DUSU, which has challenged the October 16 order of the Delhi government asking the institutes to pay the salaries of over 1,500 staff - both teaching and non-teaching — from the students' fund.

The high court listed the matter for further hearing on December 15.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the Delhi government urged the high court to vacate the October 23 order by which stay was granted on its decision asking the colleges to pay pending salaries of staffers from the Students Welfare Fund (SSF). "Delhi government is forced to release funds despite the fact that the colleges are sitting over a huge amount of money," he argued.

Meanwhile, following an earlier high court order, the Directorate of Higher Education of the Delhi government sanctioned a total of Rs 21.075 crore for payment of salaries of teachers and other staff of four colleges under the University of Delhi which are funded by the Delhi government.

The current sanction released funds for Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Bhagini Nivedita College, Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies and Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College. Around Rs 19.40 crore was released for salaries and Rs 1.675 crore for other dues.