K.K. SASIDHARAN, J.

1. This Writ Petition by Ms. S. Selva Gomathi, Deputy Director, Society for Community Organisation Trust, seeks a direction to the respondents 1 to 8 to allow 117 girl students to stay at Annai Sathya Government Childrens' Home, Madurai, by providing the necessary infrastructural facilities so as to enable the students to continue their school education at Kakkai Padiniyar School, Madurai.

2. According to the petitioner, on account of the inability to provide the necessary institutional and infrastructural facilities, the eight respondent sent back large number of students to several other Homes. Similarly, in view of the inability of the eighth respondent to arrange sufficient space, it would not be possible to admit new students in this academic year.

3. The information furnished before us indicates that originally, there were 114 students residing in the Government Home in question. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, provides that each student should have a space of 40 square feet. Since the area, as per the statute, was not available, the Superintendent, Annai Sathya Government Children Home was constrained to send 79 stude