The Madras High Court has suo motu initiated contempt proceedings against nine schools in Tamil Nadu for violating its order by collecting 100% fees for the academic year 2020-21. This comes after the state government pointed out that these school demanded 100% fee from parents in violation of an earlier court order. 

In early July, some private schools and private schools approached the High Court, challenging the Tamil Nadu government orders to private schools, stating that they should not collect fees during the pandemic. On July 17, the High Court had issued an order allowing private schools to collect 75% of the fees for the academic year, of which 40% was allowed to be collected by August 31. The High Court later extended the deadline for receiving the first instalment of fees to September 30.

On Wednesday, when the case came up for hearing before a single-judge bench of Justice Anand Venkatesh, the Deputy Secretary to the government for the School Education Department, K Jeyalalitha, submitted a report in the court regarding this matter. The report, reportedly, said that the government received 111 complaints, which stated that private schools violated the court order by demanding the parents to pay 100% of the fees. 

Although 97 of these complaints were not proven, the report said that it has been found that nine schools in the state forced the parents to pay 100% fees.

Noting this, Justice Anand Venkatesh suo motu issued a contempt notice to the nine schools and told the management to give an explanation regarding the violation.

The court has initiated a contempt proceeding against nine schools: PSBB Millenium in Coimbatore, PS Chidambara Nadar Senior Secondary School in Virudhunagar, Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Paramakudi, SHNV Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Sivakasi, Sri Shankara Vidya Kendriya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Thiruvottiyur and Hussain Memorial Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Ambattur.

Justice Anand Venkatesh also denied extending the deadline for paying the first instalment of fee by the end of September.

The lawyer appearing for CBSE schools informed the court that there were no complaints against CBSE schools.

The Justice said that since parents would not give a complaint considering the well-being of their children, a separate email id should be created and should be publicised. The Judge also directed the CBSE officials of Chennai district to file a status report on the issue on October 14.