HC imposes cost of Rs one lakh on school for disrupting student's schooling

A Bengaluru school that refused to allow more than fifty students to attend courses for failing to submit an undertaking and paying a fee of Rs 10,000 for engaging in behavior that "goes against the ethos of the school" has been fined Rs one lakh by the High Court of Karnataka.

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka has been imposed a cost of Rs one lakh on a Bengaluru school for not allowing over 50 students to attend classes for not submitting an undertaking and paying a fine of Rs 10,000 for having "indulged in behaviour that goes against the ethos of the school."

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Krishan S Dixit on Friday said that it was not concerned with whether such a demand made by the school was proper or not but it was worried that class nine students were not allowed to attend classes. "In the present schooling pattern, ninth class is important as it is a year before Class 10, a major stage," the Court said.

The Division Bench was hearing a civil contempt of court filed by the father of one of the students of the Brigade School, in Brigade Gateway Enclave, Malleshwaram. The parent had filed a petition on December 4, 2023 stating that the school had issued a communication on November 22, 2023 alleging that this daughter was indulging in behaviour that went against the ethos of the school and without concluding an enquiry, imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 "failing which serious consequences follows."

The petition claimed that "the respondents are insisting the petitioner pay fine failing which the respondents will not allow the daughter to attend classes." The single judge bench in its interim order on December 6, stayed the operation of the school's notice and directed it to permit the student to attend classes.

On December 22, the parent again approached the HC with a contempt petition stating that the school, despite the order of the single judge bench, was not allowing his daughter to attend classes. The court was informed that more than 50 other students were also similarly not allowed to attend classes.

The counsel for the school submitted that the student was allowed to attend classes after the court order was received by it on December 14. It was also submitted that the student will be provided with additional classes. However, considering that uncertainty was created and the schooling of the children were affected, the HC imposed a cost of Rs one lakh on the school which is to be payable to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund within two weeks.