JUDGMENT

Altamas Kabir, J. - Special leave granted in all the special leave petitions.

2. All the special leave petitions have been taken up together since they involve a common question of law arising out of similar facts. SLP ) Nos. 3549/05, 3554/05, 24019/04 and 20410/05 have been filed by the State of Uttar Pradesh against the Committee of Management of different Institutions having a primary section. SLP (C) No.9978/03 has been filed by the Principal Secretary, Basic Education of the U.P. Government and SLP ) 3551/05 has been filed by the District Basic Education Officer of the Uttar Pradesh administration.

3. The common question arising in all these appeals is whether teachers of privately-managed primary schools and primary sections of privately-managed schools imparting education up to the High School level, are eligible to receive their salaries from the State Government.

4. Schools in Uttar Pradesh are either under public management or under private management. Public institutions are managed either directly by the government departments or by the District Boards and Municipal Boards. Privately managed institutions may be divided into two categories, namely, "aided insti