HC issues notice to UT, minors

CHANDIGARH: Following appeals filed by four schools in connection with fixing of age criteria for admission, division bench of Punjab and Haryana High Court consisting chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and justice Augustine George Masih issued a notice to UT administration and 17 minors, who had moved HC through their parents.
Appeals were filed by Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, St John's School, Sector 26, and St Anne's School, Sector 32, regarding the HC order, wherein September 30, 2006, was set as the cutoff date for upper kindergarten and KG admissions.
In their appeal, they stated that the judge had erred in fixing the age criteria for admission of children to UKG up to September 30, 2006. Petitioner's counsel stated in the court that the criterion was totally arbitrary. He added that the judge had gone beyond pleadings of the parties and chosen an age criteria, which was not sought in the writ petition.