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Major Saurabh Charan v. Lt. Governor, NCT of Delhi

Civil Appeal · Neutral citation not assigned (Civil Appeal Nos. 5379-5380 of 2014)Decided 7 May 2014
Civil Appeal Nos. 5379-5380 of 2014
Justice H.L. Dattu · Justice M.Y. Eqbal · Justice S.A. Bobde

Background

Children of parents transferred to Delhi had secured school selection using five points for an interstate transfer. After the admission process began, the administration deleted those points amid concerns about misuse and cancelled their selections. The affected parents challenged the change and the High Court's interim arrangements.

Decision Breakdown

The Court protected the admissions or selections already secured by the appellants' children. It held that the administration could not alter the selection basis midway after the process had started. Twenty-four additional successful children identified during the hearing were also to be accommodated, increasing seats where necessary. The relief was expressly limited to those who had approached the Court. The appeals and the related pending High Court proceedings were disposed of.

Lesson Learnt

Families who have successfully participated under announced admission criteria can challenge a mid-process change that takes away their selection. This order's admission protection was limited to the litigating families, rather than every similarly placed applicant.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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