No court relief to Khurshid on expulsion from DPS Society

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Tuesday refused to give any relief to Congress leader and Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who had challenged his expulsion from the Delhi Public School (DPS) Society.

In his order, Justice Manmohan Singh said Khurshid did not avail the opportunity given to him by the DPS Society after the expulsion letter was issued, so the society is not liable for anything.

“The balance of convenience does not lie in favour of the plaintiff (Khurshid) but in favour of the defendant (DPS) as the defendant is agreeable to give the plaintiff a hearing,” the judge said.

However, the court refused to comment on the allegations raised by Khurshid, saying: “The contention of commercialisation of education cannot elicit a comment from this court at the prima facie stage as the same might unduly prejudice the case of the parties. The said contention of the plaintiff cannot be decided without a trial.”

The court asked Khurshid to give his representation before the DPS Society within two weeks.

Khurshid Sep 10 filed a petition challenging his expulsion from the society for conducting “anti-DPS” activities after he had accused it of irregularities and alleged that it was indulging in commercialisation of education.

He had charged the society management with collecting money from DPS schools in the name of licence and signing fees, which violates the Delhi Education Act.

“The society was collecting between Rs.500,000 and Rs.1 million from franchisees for using the society’s name and logo and for an agreement to run the schools,” he said.

Khurshid, a DPS alumnus, had been a member of the society since 1984.