Make Delhi School Tribunal's Website Fully Functional For Litigants/ Advocates' Access: High Court To Govt

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government to take all requisite steps to make the website of 'Delhi School Tribunal' (DST) fully functional.

DST is constituted under Section 11 of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 by the Delhi LG. It is empowered to adjudicate upon appeals preferred by employees of any recognised private school, aggrieved by order of dismissal, removal or reduction in rank.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla ordered,

"We tried to access the DST website and found that only the Causeist is being displayed. Apparently, the website is not fully functional and the data is not uploaded. Let the Respondents take all requisite steps to make the website fully functional. Status/ compliance report be filed before the next date."

The direction was passed in a PIL filed by Advocate Anuj Aggarwal, stating that DST does not have an official website of its own for uploading the daily/final orders, case status, notifications, circulars, etc.

It was argued that litigants and counsels are required to either apply the certified copies of the daily/ final orders or have to inspect the court files, leading to undue hardship.

In its order last month, the division bench had opined that considering the fact that the Delhi School Tribunal hears grievances relating to teachers and other employees of the school in Delhi, it has to undertake public hearing and public dealing. Thus, it is imperative that it should have its own official website in this new age.

During the course of hearing today, Advocate Avnish Ahlawat for the Respondents informed the Bench that the website has been created. However, the Petitioner claimed that the same is defective, inasmuch as no orders are uploaded and one needs the signature of Presiding officer to login.

Looking at the website, Justice Sanghi said, "This shows that framework is there but is the data populated? You have not filed the status report also."

The matter is now listed on 12 May for compliance.

Case Title: ANUJ AGGARWAL v. LT. GOVERNOR OF DELHI & ORS.