Delhi HC seeks MCD response on Afghan students’ benefits plea

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on a PIL claiming that Afghanistan refugee students studying in a primary school of the corporation are deprived of statutory monetary benefits on the ground of non-opening of their bank accounts.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice to the MCD, MCD Primary School at Jangpura Extension here, and Indian Overseas Bank at Jangpura on the petition.
The court asked the authorities to file their replies to the plea and listed the matter for further hearing on October 6.
The plea filed by the NGO Social Jurist said that the action on the part of respondents in depriving Afghanistan refugee students of statutory benefits is arbitrary, unjust, malafide, discriminatory, unethical, anti-child, and violates the fundamental right to education as guaranteed to them under the Constitution of India, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, and the Delhi Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules.
The petition, through advocates Ashok Agarwal and Kumar Utkarsh, said that in terms of the Delhi Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, all the students of schools run by the Delhi government and MCD are entitled to free textbooks, writing material, and uniforms.
It said that instead of providing textbooks, writing material, and uniforms, money is transferred to the account of students by the authorities.