Delhi High Court: A Division Bench of Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad, JJ., addressed a matter wherein the teachers of schools run by NrDMC were not paid salaries since March, 2020, to which Court declared as a “Sorry state of affairs.”
On 18th June, 2020 Court had noted that appellants-teachers were aggrieved by the Order passed on 9th June, 2020 dismissed their petition for issuing respondent 2 to release their salaries that had remained unpaid since March, 2020.
On observing that the teachers working in schools run by NrDMC cannot be made to run from pillar to post for release of their lawful dues and more particularly when respondent 2 was in default.
Respondent 2 filed an affidavit admitting inter alia that just the salary of the teachers teaching in the schools run by the Nr.D.M.C. have not been paid, there are several other employees working in different categories in Nr.D.M.C. starting from Group A Officials down to the Safai Karamcharis whose salaries could not be paid as Delhi Government has not released the amounts payable to Nr.D.M.C. under various heads from April, 2020 to June, 2020.
Bench stated that,
“To say the least, this is a very sorry state of affairs.”
The teachers cannot be left on a wing and a prayer. They must be released their rightful dues without any further delay. As they are being made to discharge COVID-19 duties at the instance of the Delhi Government, they can be well equated with COVID-19 warriors.
Further on noting the fact that only when orders were passed by the Court, Delhi Government released funds, Court deemed it appropriate to dispose of the present appeal and register a suo motu petition, flagging the present issue.
Thus, Registry was directed to assign a number to the petition titled as ‘In Re: Unpaid Salary of Teachers and Employees of Nr.D.M.C.’
Delhi Government was in view of the above averments directed to file an affidavit and a timeline also needs to be set down in the said affidavit with regard to disbursement of funds.
Matter to be placed before the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on 30th June, 2020. [Akhil Dilli Prathmik Shikshak Sangh v. Govt of NCT of Delhi, 2020 SCC OnLine Del 670 , decided on 26-06-2020]
