Punjab to file LPA in HC against payment of school fee during lockdown period

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has said that a Letters Patent Appeal (LPA) will be filed in the High Court against the court's decision in the matter of school's fee payment during the period of corona-induced nationwide lockdown.

Chandigarh: The Punjab government will file a Letters Patent Appeal (LPA) in the High Court this week against the decision of a single judge bench in the matter of payment of school fee during the lockdown period.

The issue came up for discussion informally during Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, after which Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh asked that the LPA should be filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court within this week, Advocate General Atul Nanda said later.

A single-judge bench of the High Court had, on June 30, ruled that all the schools were entitled to collect tuition fee irrespective of offering online classes during the lockdown. In her ruling, Justice Nirmaljit Kaur had said all schools, whether they offer online classes during the lockdown period or not, are entitled to collect the tuition fee.

However, the court ruled, the schools will continue to endeavour and impart online and distance learning so that education is not adversely impacted due to the present or future lockdowns imposed due to the pandemic.

While the court is set to hear appeals against the rulings on July 13, the Punjab government has decided to move the court for hearing by a division bench in the interest of all the concerned parties, including parents, teachers, staff as well as the school administrators.

ANI report