Court order on English-medium schools challenged

[sajiv]

Court order on English-medium schools challenged

Bangalore: The State Government on Monday took the first legal step in the Karnataka High Court this academic year on the language issue when it filed an appeal against a single judge order directing it to take a decision on permitting an English medium school in the State. The single judge had on April 6, 2009 allowed a petition by the Rajajinagar Education Society of Bangalore and directed the institution to furnish a fresh application for starting English medium school.

The authorities had been asked to take a decision within four weeks of the school giving an application. Since the four-week deadline expired on May 20, the State Government decided to file an appeal against the single judge order.

The State said the single judge ought to have taken note of the fact that the State had filed a special leave petition (SLP) on the language issue in the Supreme Court and that it is still pending decision.

The special leave petition, the State said, was filed against a Full-Bench judgement of the Karnataka High Court of July 2, 2008 restricting the State's policy on language to aided and Government schools.