Delhi HC issues notice on plea over non-payment of teachers' salaries in Delhi colleges

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Delhi University, Delhi government and several colleges on a petition claiming non-payment of salaries to approximately 1,500 teachers of several government-funded colleges.

A division bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad also directed four colleges to file status reports in two weeks and thereafter for the Delhi government to file a response on the status report. The matter was fixed for further hearing on November 4.

Advocate Ashok Agarwal, appearing for teachers, sought directions to the Delhi government to immediately release grant to colleges.

Several professors and teachers from different colleges of the Delhi University have approached the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the respondent colleges to pay the petitioners' salary due from the month of May 2020 to date.

The petition, filed by assistant professor Udaibir Singh and others through advocates Ashok Agarwal and Kumar Utkarsh, also sought to ensure timely payment of salaries in the future.

Meanwhile, one of the colleges -- Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences (University of Delhi) -- in its reply said that it has already paid the salary of teaching and non-teaching staff till 30th June.

The plea submitted that the impugned inaction (not paying salaries) on the part of respondent colleges is violative of the fundamental right of the petitioners as guaranteed to them under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution read with the provisions of Delhi University Act 1922.

It said that the impugned actions are unjust, unfair, arbitrary, discriminatory, unethical, unconstitutional, violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India read with the provisions of the Delhi University Act 1922.

It also complained about the actions of non-payment of salaries are bad in law as much as the same is violative of the right to life as well as the right to livelihood as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

The petitioners submitted that all respondent colleges are affiliated with the respondent Delhi University and are 100 per cent funded by the Governemnt of Delhi.

( With inputs from ANI )