Madras High Court Upholds State Government's School Renovation Plan for SC/ST Students
The Madras High Court has firmly dismissed a public interest litigation that challenged the Tamil Nadu government's allocation of funds for renovating school and hostel buildings meant for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students across the state. The court found no merit in the petition, emphasizing that the renovation work will directly benefit underprivileged students.
Petitioner's Claims and Court's Observations
C Selvakumar from Madurai filed the PIL, questioning the state government's tender notification for carrying out repair and renovation work worth nearly Rs 50 crore. The petitioner argued that this allocation could lead to misappropriation of funds, especially since a similar central scheme already exists for the same purpose. He specifically pointed to the proposed renovation of 170 school and hostel buildings for SC/ST students.
A division bench comprising Justice G Jayachandran and Justice K K Ramakrishnan heard the case. The judges observed that the petitioner filed the petition under the guise of public interest litigation, but the court found no valid ground to accept his arguments. They noted that the existing buildings require urgent renovation, including safe compound walls and proper toilet facilities.
Benefits of the Renovation Project
The state government identified these buildings and allocated funds specifically for their renovation. The court highlighted that this initiative will ultimately benefit downtrodden students by providing them with safer and more functional educational environments. Additionally, it will strengthen the safety of buildings that were originally constructed using public funds.
The judges stated that the petition lacked merit and dismissed it outright. They reinforced the importance of such government efforts in supporting marginalized communities through improved infrastructure.
