Delhi govt against Centre’s support to Sanskriti School in SC

The Delhi government on Thursday criticised the Centre in Supreme Court for backing Sanskriti School in its fight to retain the 60 per cent quota for wards of top officers, saying that the union government’s stand supported the “creation of class within class.” 

“We are supporting the Delhi High Court judgement (quashing 60 per cent quota for Group A officers). Our stand is not in consonance with central government. The rules for admission to army schools apply all over the country. But here you (Sanskriti School) have created a class within a class,” advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the Delhi government, submitted before a Bench headed by Justice A R Dave.

Submitting that it was a class that has been controlling the school which was running on “an illegal foundation”, he questioned the Centre’s support to the school management saying it was not within the meaning of ‘State’.

However, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said the Centre was in the picture as the school was for the wards of its employees who are in transferrable jobs just like army schools and such others set up by different public sector undertakings which reserve seats up to 75 per cent for their employees’ children.

The Delhi government said the school was on the land allocated by the government and they cannot in any manner do away with the rules laid down under the Delhi Schools Education Act.

Senior advocate Arvind Dattar, assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter, said it has to be looked into what was the status of the society which has got a largesse like government land for running a school.