Kejriwal welcomes HC order staying interim fee hike by pvt unaided schools

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday hailed the Delhi High Court's order staying the interim hike in fees by private unaided schools in the city till April 8.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also welcomed the court's order.

"Delhi government, in it audit report of schools that were willing to increase their fees, found that they had excess money than they were spending. Delhi has an honest government which understands the pain of parents. Schools have a right to charge fees according to their expenditure but this government will not allow them to increase their arbitrarily," he posted on Twitter.

Kejriwal tweeted there was anger among parents due to the fee hike but the AAP government appealed in the High Court.

"I want to assure the parents that there is an honest government in Delhi which will protect the interests of people at any cost. I congratulate the parents on the stay order," he twitted.

The Delhi High Court Wednesday stayed till April 8 interim hike in fees by private unaided schools in the national capital on a plea of the AAP government challenging its single judge order allowing the same.

The Delhi government on Tuesday had challenged in the HC its single judge order allowing private unaided schools in the national capital to go ahead with the interim hike in fees to implement the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission on salaries of teachers and other employees.

The single judge on March 15 had permitted the interim fee hike by quashing a Delhi government circular of April 13 last year, which had prohibited private unaided schools functioning on government land from hiking tuition amounts without approval of the Directorate of Education (DoE).

The division bench on Wednesday said that till April 8, the next date of hearing, none of the 'land clause' schools will proceed to collect the interim hiked fee.