Delhi Assembly speaker orders to reinstate fellows under DARC programme

New Delhi [India]: After the Delhi High Court stayed the termination of Delhi Assembly Fellows under the Delhi Assembly Research Centre (DARC) fellowship Programme, the Delhi Assembly speaker has ordered to reinstate the Fellows and has also issued the direction to pay due stipends to them.

An order from the legislative Assembly Secretariat dated September 26 said: “Whereas the Hon’ble High Court vide its Order dated September 21 in the matter of Subhashini Ratan and Ors V. Legislative Assembly NCT of Delhi and Ors has directed that the petitioners be not discontinued and be given their stipends till the next date of hearing.”

“The Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, in view of the above court cases, has vide his order dated September 26 directed that ‘Thus in view of the decisions of the Supreme Court and Article 14 of the Constitution of India, and to avoid burdening the court with unnecessary litigation, I hereby reinstate the Fellows, Associate Fellows and Associate Fellows (Media) who are affected by the order dated August 8, and further direct that due stipends be paid to them. This would be subject to further orders of the High Court,” read the letter.

The next date of hearing in the case is December 6.

The Delhi High Court while staying the termination of fellows said “Till the next date of hearing, let the services of the petitioners be not discontinued and the petitioners be given their stipends.”

The Delhi High Court passed the order on a petition filed against the decision to terminate the services of the Fellows, Associate Fellows and Associate Fellows (Media) under the Delhi Assembly Research Centre Fellowship Programme (DARC).

“All the fellows, Associate Fellows and Associate Fellows (Media) of DARC other than those who have resigned or whose tenure has expired will report to the letter undersigned,” read the letter from the legislative Assembly Secretariat.