Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source internet
Shimla, August 14
Himachal Pradesh High Court has permitted the State government to hold its State-level Independence Day function at the Government Senior Secondary School, Barsar in Hamirpur district, but has imposed a condition that Rs 5 lakh be deposited in the Student Welfare Fund of the school.
The order was passed by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chandra Negi on Thursday hearing an application moved in the pending suo motu matter concerning the use of school premises for non-educational activities.
The State government had sought permission to organise the State-level Independence Day function at the playground of the Government Senior Secondary School, Barsar, Hamirpur, on August 15, 2026. The function is scheduled to be presided over by the Chief Minister.
The court noted that the State had approached the Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur, through a letter dated July 7, 2026, stating that the function would be held at the school playground. The Principal of the school had also issued a “No Objection Certificate” on August 8, 2026.
The High Court, however, recalled its earlier directions issued in CWP No. 146 of 2017 on September 22, 2017, under which it had directed that no activity other than educational activities and matters connected with the affairs of an educational institution should be conducted on school campuses.
The earlier directions were issued to ensure that school premises remained available for students and educational purposes and were not routinely diverted for other activities.
The State submitted that the proposed Independence Day function was an exceptional case and that arrangements, including printing and distribution of cards, had already been made. It was also submitted that the school would remain closed from August 15 to August 17 and no academic activities would be held during the period.
The High Court observed that the State appeared to have acted in the matter only after obtaining the “No Objection Certificate” from the Principal. Considering the circumstances, the court allowed the application as an exceptional case.
The permission, however, is subject to the State depositing Rs 5 lakh in the Student Welfare Fund of the school concerned.
The order makes it clear that the permission granted for the State-level Independence Day celebration should not be treated as a relaxation of the earlier general directions prohibiting non-educational activities on school campuses.
The court also noted that every school is required to organise its own Independence Day function and that the State-level function was being held at the school in view of the fact that the school premises would be taken over by the district administration for the occasion.
The order was issued on August 12, 2026.
The State government’s arrangement to use the Barsar school campus for the Independence Day function thus comes with a financial obligation of Rs 5 lakh towards the welfare of students of the institution.
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