Bombay High Court Asks District Judges Across Maharashtra To Monitor Grim Situation In Government Schools

Registrar Judicial, Aurangabad Bench v. Maharashtra that was regarding the bad and deplorable conditions of schools being operated by the local civic authorities in Maharashtra.

While ruling on a most significant issue directly affecting the future generation of our country who are studying in government schools, the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court in a most learned, laudable, landmark, logical and latest judgment titled Registrar Judicial, Aurangabad Bench v. State of Maharashtra & Ors. in Civil Application No.8987 of 2023 in SMPIL/1/2018 with Civil Application No.14913 of 2018 in SMPIL/1/2018 that was pronounced as recently as on July 21, 2023 has very commendably ordered the formation of a district-level committee with district judges at the helm to monitor the ‘grim situation’ in government-run schools of Maharashtra. It must be mentioned here that a Division Bench comprising of Hon’ble Mr Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and YG Khobragade passed the order after being informed of a government-run school in Aurangabad that did not have electric supply for over 18 months! It must be noted here that the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court was dealing with a 2018 public interest litigation that was regarding the bad and deplorable conditions of schools being operated by the local civic authorities in Maharashtra.

At the very outset, this brief, brilliant, bold and balanced judgment authored by a Division Bench comprising of Hon’ble Mr Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and YG Khobragade of Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court sets the ball in motion by first and foremost putting forth in para 1 that:

The Civil Applications are filed in Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation No.1/2018. The PIL is with regard to the bad conditions of the schools, being operated by the local authorities like Zilla Parishad, Municipal Council, Municipal Corporation, etc.

As we see, the Division Bench discloses in para 2 that:
Today, the learned Amicus has placed on record the copy of the city edition ‘DB Star’ of daily Divya Marathi newspaper dated 20.07.2023. The same is taken on record and marked as X-1 for identification.

To put things in perspective, the Division Bench while elaborating on the facts of the case envisages in para 3 that:
From this news report, we understand that the particular school was included in the list of smart schools. This is situated at a place identified as Ajab Nagar, Nutan Colony, Aurangabad. Electricity supply has been disconnected for more than eighteen (18) months. About 40 students in kindergarten to the 4th standard, are studying in the said school. A photograph indicates that the students are sitting on the floor and in the surrounding, empty bottles of liquor (Deshi Daru) are found.

As anticipated, the Division Bench mentions in para 4 that:
The learned Amicus, therefore, suggests that it is high time that the Court should take a serious note of this aspect and constitute a Committee at each district place to inspect such schools and submit their reports along with recommendations. It is suggested that the learned Principal District Judge of each district in the State of Maharashtra be made the Chairman of such Committee.