Neutral Citation Number: 2023:DHC:3379-DB

W.P.(C) 5939/2023

Page 1 of 8

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

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Date of Decision: 08.05.2023

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W.P.(C) 5939/2023 and C.M. No. 23285/2023

VIRANDER KUMAR SHARMA PUNJ & ANR. ..... Petitioner

Through:

Mr. Meghverna Sharma, Advocate.

versus

GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS.

..... Respondent

Through:

Mr.

Santosh

Kumar

Tripathi,

Standing Counsel with Mr. Arun

Panwar, Ms. Aakriti Mishra, Mr.

Pradyumn Rao and Ms. Mahak

Rankawat,

Advocates

for

Respondent/ GNCTD.

Mr. Traveen Singh Nanda, Advocate

for Respondent/ UOI.

Ms. Manisha Singh, Respondent

No.2.

Mr.

Arjun

Mahajan,

Standing

Counsel with Mr. Apoorv Upmanya,

Advocate

for

Respondent

No.5/

MCD.

Mr. Chetan Sharma, ASG with Ms.

Monika Arora, CGSC, Mr. Amit

Gupta, Mr. Yash Tyagi, Ms. Saurabh

Tripathi and Mr. Subhrodeep Saha,

Advocate for Respondent/ UOI.

CORAM:

HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUBRAMONIUM PRASAD

Digitaaly Signed

By:BHUPINDER SINGH

ROHELLA

Signing Date:16.05.2023

14:41:58

Signature Not Verified

Neutral Citation Number: 2023:DHC:3379-DB

W.P.(C) 5939/2023

Page 2 of 8

SATISH CHANDRA SHARMA, CJ. (ORAL)

1.

The Petitioner before this Court has filed the present Writ Petition as a

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) stating that they are much involved in the

rights pertaining to education of the children of this country and the present

Writ Petition has been filed for the benefit of crores of students studying or

desirous of studying in schools of Directorate of Education Delhi, Kendriya

Vidyalaya Sangthan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Municipal Corporation in

Delhi and other bodies.

2.

The Petitioner has further stated that after further research on this

topic, he came across an article published in the Times of India dated 09

April 2013 that Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided

to introduce legal studies as a subject in classes XI-XII, as a pilot project in

200 schools in India and abroad. After inquiring about the said publication

by filing RTI to the respondent no. 2/ CBSE in August, 2022 about the said

article the petitioner was informed that no records of 2013 files have been

found in the Academic Unit. In August 2022 the petitioner tried to inquire

about the CBSE letter whether legal studies is a subject of study in schools

and legal study education is being imparted to students by recruitment of

law graduate teacher on permanent basis in uniform manner in schools run

by Directorate of Education, Delhi. He was informed by the respondents that

law is not offered as a subject of study in their schools. During research the

petitioner also tried to collect the details of the schools where teaching of

legal studies at present was being imparted and he found that legal study is a

subject only in 18 private schools.

Digitaaly Signed

By:BHUPINDER SINGH

ROHELLA

Signing Date:16.05.2023

14:41:58

Signature Not Verified

Neutral Citation Number: 2023:DHC:3379-DB

W.P.(C) 5939/2023

Page 3 of 8

3.

The Petitioner’s main grievance is that the subject of Legal Studies

and subject of Law should be introduced as a compulsory subject in schools

education. The Petitioner has prayed for the following relief:

II) Issue any appropriate writ, order or directions directing the

III) Pass any other, order, or directions or such further orders

IV) Allow the present Public Social Legal Justice Interest

society.”

4.

The petitioner states that not imparting legal education to students

violates their fundamental rights and deprives them of equality and equal

opportunity guaranteed under Article 14,21, 21-A of the Constitution of

India read with provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory

Education Act, 2009 and fundamental rights of the children.

5.

This Court has heard the Learned Counsel for the Petitioner at length

and has carefully gone through the documents on record. The Petitioner’s

prayer is for the