Shimla ( Vijyender Sharma)

The High Court of Himachal Pradesh today issued notice to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Education), to the Government of Himachal Pradesh, in a matter pertaining to more than 2000 posts of Junior Office Assistant and Librarian, lying vacant in the Government Schools across State.

The Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Sandeep Sharma, passed these orders in a petition taken up suo moto by the Court as Public Interest Litigation, on a letter addressed to the Chief Justice, by one Shri Pratap Singh Thakur of village Bagshad, Tehsil Karsog, District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

The petitioner in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice, High Court of H.P., has alleged that more than 2000 posts of Junior Office Assistant and Librarian are lying vacant in the Government Schools across State and Education Department is not filling up the posts deliberately, so that the children of the Government schools join private schools to pursue their studies. He has further alleged that due to lack of Library and Librarian in the Government Schools, children are lagging behind in competitive examinations. As such, children are leaving Government Schools and opting for private schools.

The petitioner has sought the indulgence of the Court to direct the State Government to fill up the vacant posts of Librarians in the Government Schools, on priority basis.

The State Government has been directed to file reply within three weeks’ time.