Delhi High Court warns of contempt of court action over non-supply of textbooks to government schools

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday warned that it will issue suo motu contempt of court notice to the Deputy Director of the Education department for government’s failure to supply textbooks to students studying in government-run schools..A Division Bench of Acting Chief Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora noted that in the government, in its affidavit dated May 2, had said that textbooks will be distributed to students by May 10, before the start of summer vacations.However, a report dated May 15 said that the task would be completed by July.The Bench expressed strong displeasure over the delay and said that it was not proper for the government to give a deadline and then not comply with it.“It is not done, we will take you to task… This is not proper that you give us a deadline and not comply with it,” the Court remarked..However, the Court stopped short of issuing notice after Delhi government’s Standing Counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi made an assurance that students will get their books by the time schools reopen after summer vacations in July.“This court was inclined to issue suo motu contempt notice to the deponent of the affidavit dated 2nd May. However, Mr Tripathi assured and undertakes to the court that the fresh undertaking and status report dated May 15 shall be complied with. At request, the order is deferred till the next date of hearing,” the Court ordered.It then proceeded to list the case for further hearing in July. One of the reasons cited by the government for delay in supply of textbooks is the change in syllabus..The Bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by an organisation named Social Jurist raising the issue of lack of infrastructure facilities in the government schools in the national capital.Advocate Ashok Agarwal appeared for the petitioner..The report dated May 15, 2024 revealed that of the 7,073 schools, textbooks are yet to be supplied to 4,215 schools (59.5%). The report also revealed that the total demand of textbooks in the government schools is nearly 1.08 crore but only 23.25 lakh books (21.34%) have been supplied. Read details of the textbooks supplied in schools below.