BANGALORE: Jnanpith awardees Girish Karnad, U R Ananthamurthy, Chandrashekar Kambar and Rashtrakavi G S Shivarudrappa have filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to quash the gazette notification to close Kannada schools with minimal enrolment across the state. The litterateurs in their PIL state that thousands of students will be deprived of education if the schools are to be closed; they have also sought that the state government implement the Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, with immediate effect and frame rules under the same legislation. Pointing out that Article 21(a) under Section 3(1) of the Indian Constitution stipulates that free and compulsory education be provided to children in schools, the petitioners argued that the state government’s action goes against this principle. They contented that the action also amounts to a violation of the Right to Education Act. The petitioners have also sought directions to frame rules under the same legislation and quash the government order. They also urged that appropriate measures be taken to strengthen the schools that were proposed to be closed for want of students. Further, the petitioners have also sought that the court issue directions to withdraw permission granted to private parties to start schools in neighbouring areas. The state government, in an order dated September 24, 2011, had ordered that steps be initiated to close 590 lower primary schools and 27 higher primary schools where the enrolment is below five students with immediate effect. It had added in the order that steps be taken to transfer the students and teachers to others schools.
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