IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. C.W.P. No. 8491 of 2009. [O&M] Date of Decision: 12th January, 2011. Managing Committee J.S.F.H.Khalsra Senior Second School Atta and Ors. Petitioners through Mr. Vikas Bahl, Advocate Versus State of Punjab & Ors. Respondents through Ms. Sudeepti Sharma, DAG, Punjab. Mr. A.K.Chopra, Sr. Advocate with Mr. N.D.Kalra, Advocate. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT. 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? SURYA KANT, J. [ORAL] J.S.F.H. Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Atta, Tehsil Phillaur, District Jalandhar is admittedly a Government Aided Privately Management School. It receives 95% grant-in-aid from the State of Punjab. The School has been established by a Society known as Sikh Educational Board, Nawanshahar Doaba. There is a dispute in relation to the management of the affairs of the Society between two rival groups, namely, the one represented by petitioners No. 2 and 3 and the other by respondents No. 4 and 5. While petitioners No. 2 and 3 are said to have constituted a Managing Committee to run the two educational institutions established by the said Society, respondents No. 4 and 5 also claim themselves to be the validly nominated members of the Society. Admittedly, the dispute regarding the constitution of the Managing Committee of the school is pending in the Civil Court. The question that arises for consideration is as to who should manage and run the day-to-day affairs of the school till the dispute is decided by the Civil Court? In relation to the educational institutions receiving 95% grant-in-aid from the State Government and in relation thereto when a dispute of the Managing Committee, is pending adjudication, “the Director of Public Instructions [SE], Punjab has issued a Circular dated 14.08.2006 [Annexure R-4] which provides that “the concerned District Education Officer will start working as correspondence under conditions of expiry of correspondents' tenure/groupism dispute in all such schools where there is a dispute in the Managing Committee of the Privately Managed Government Aided Schools”. Having heard learned counsel for the parties at some length, I find that the aforementioned Circular is fair, just and meets the urgent needs of the hour. Suffice it to observe that when the public money is diverted in larger public interest interest like for imparting education to the future generations but there is likelihood of its mis-appropriation or no appropriation due to inter-se rivalry amongst the members of the Managing Committee more so when lis is pending before the Civil Court, there has to be an adhoc arrangement comprising an impartial authority to ensure that the teachers are paid their salaries timely and made to impart teaching to the students. The District Education Officer is the best, well equipped and concerned authority to see that the public funds are utilized to their optimum use. For the reasons afore-stated, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the District Education Officer [SE], Jalandhar to take over the management and control of the J.S.F.H Senior Secondary School, Atta, Tehsil Phillaur, District Jalandhar forthwith; to act as its correspondent and look after its other day-to-day affairs till the dispute regarding the Managing Committee is finally resolved by the Civil Court[s]. Keeping in view the larger public interest, the Civil Court shall make an endeavour to adjudicate the dispute as early as possible and preferably within a period of one years from the date a certified copy of this order is received. Disposed of. Dasti. January 12, 2011. ( SURYA KANT ) dinesh JUDGE