IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision :09.01.2025 Akashdeep and others ...Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-13784-2024 Harjit Lal and others ...Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-13946-2024 Neha and others ...Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-18853-2024 VMS Institute of Nursing and Paramedical Science and another ...Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and another ....Respondents CWP-20650-2020 Malwa Education Council Bondli and another ...Petitioners Versus Union of India and others ....Respondents CWP-22349-2024 (O&M)

Harpreet Kaur and others ...Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-27886-2024 Janak Raj and others ...Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-30416-2024 Khalsa College of Engineering and Technology ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-30759-2024 Ajit Nursing College, Sunam ...Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-31288-2024 DIPS Institute of Management of Technology and others ...Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ....Respondents CWP-4521-2023 Guru Teg Bahadur IET and others ...Petitioners Versus The Secretary, Govt. of India, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and others ....Respondents CWP-7804-2018 (O&M)

The Managing Committee Akal College of Pharmacy and Technical Education, Mastuana Sahib, Sangrur ...Petitioners Versus Union of India and others ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HARSIMRAN SINGH SETHI Present: Mr. Yagyadeep Advocate & Mr. Rajesh Kumar &

Mr. Vinay Begra, Advocate for the petitioners in CWP-27886,13761,13946,13784 & 22349-2024.

Mr. Puneet Sharma, Advocate for the petitioners in CWP-18853, 30759 & 31288-2024.

Mr. Amandeep Singh, Advocate for petitioner in CWP-13761-2024.

Mr. Bhushan Bhatia, Advocate (through Video conferencing)

for the petitioner in CWP-4521-2023.

Mr. Pawan Kumar, Senior Advocate with Ms. Vidushi Kumar, Advocate for the petitioner in CWP-7804-2018.

Mr. A.P.S. Sandhu, Advocate with Mr. Ashish Kaushik, Advocate for the petitioner in CWP-30416-2024.

Mr. Vipul Aggarwal, Sr. Panel Counsel for respondent-UOI in CWP-7804-2018.

Mr. Deep Inder Singh Walia, Advocate for respondent No.4 in CWP-22349-2024.

Mr. Subhash Ahuja, Advocate for respondent-Panjab University.

Mr. Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General with Ms. Gurmeet Kaur Gill, Advocate for respondent-UOI in CWP-27886,13761,13784,13946,22349,30416,30759, 31288 of 2024 & CWP-4521-2023.

Ms. Sangeeta Srivastava, Advocate for responden-UOI in CWP-20650-2020.

Ms. Shruti, AAG, Punjab.

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Harsimran Singh Sethi, J. (Oral)

1. By this common order, above mentioned twelve writ petitions are being disposed of as all the writ petitions involve the same question of law on similar facts.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the original documents including mark sheets, degree, character certificate and other documents which are needed by the students, who had studied in the respective respondent-College have been retained by the college concerned on the ground that the fees which is to be charged by the College on the course undertaken by the petitioner-student was to be reimbursed by the State has not been received by the College.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners, who are students further submits that documents cannot be retained by the College and in case, any grievance of the College qua the recovery of fees exists against the State of Punjab or Union of India, the claim should be raised against them. Learned counsel for the students further submits that the judgment of the Coordinate Bench of this Court in CWP-19728-2021 titled as, Meena Kumari vs. State of Punjab and others, decided on 20.0-9.2023 granting the relief as being sought by the petitioners herein, a direction has already been given to the State as well as to the Panjab University to release the original docum