Plea against schools’ closure dismissed

He dismissed the petition filed by Baby Ranjita, a kindergarten student of St Antony’s High School here.

Every student and institution had the fundamental right to lawful protest. Closing down the institution for a day as a mark of protest could not be characterised as an action arousing religious sentiments, the court held.

If in any way education was disrupted by the closure of the institution for a day, the management of the institutions knew their responsibility towards their students.

Further, they would ensure that the student community was in no way affected in theireducational pursuit, the judge observed.

The court held that none of the grounds cited by the petitioner was sustainable. The petitioner held that closure of schools was against the Kerala Education Act and Universities Act.

Reverend Cyril Mar Basilius, president of the Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (KCBCI) and Alen de Lasti, president CBCI, Delhi, were the respondents in the case.