High Court renews appeal to teachers on strike

NEW DELHI, April 23: The Delhi High Court today once again appealed to the striking Delhi University teachers to resume duty as the future o...

NEW DELHI, April 23: The Delhi High Court today once again appealed to the striking Delhi University teachers to resume duty as the future of lakhs of students was at stake. The court adjourned till Monday the hearing of a petition seeking a direction to the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) to immediately begin invigilation duty.

A division bench comprising Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justice Mukul Mudgal were informed by DUTA president Sri Ram Oberoi that a decision on the government stand will be taken on Monday after the general body meeting (GBM) of teachers and the meeting of the executive committee (EC).The meeting, he said, would be held on Monday morning. The decision will be conveyed to the court in the afternoon, he said.

Government counsel Meera Bhatia and Saleem Ahmed informed the court that the Union Human Resource and Development Minister Dr Murli Manohar Joshi had held a meeting with the DUTA teachers and sought 20 days time. The Court also directed the government to have a positive stance. Justice Lahoti and Justice Mudgal said that the interests of the students came first. Oberoi said he would inform the court of the GBM and EC decision on the government assurance on Monday afternoon. Joshi had assured the DUTA teachers that their grievances would be redressed and sought 20 days time from them.

Story continues below this ad

The bench, which was hearing a petition filed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) through its counsel Jugal Wadhwa seeking direction to DUTA to resume invigilation of examinations, made University Grants Commission (UGC) a party and asked it to file a reply on Monday, the next date of hearing.

The court also appealed to the teachers to be reasonable as the future of lakhs of students was at stake. Central government standing counsel Meira Bhatia, counsel for HRD ministry Salim Ahmed, several representatives of the ministry and several other counsel besides DUTA President were present during the in camera proceedings.