Issue guidelines on CCTV, GPS in school buses: Court

Citing the bye laws made applicable for CBSE schools in this regard, a division bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad directed the School Education Department secretary to take up the installation of CCTV with GPS in the buses owned or hired by the schools for transporting children. “We are of the view that he is a necessary and proper party to answer the issue,” the bench said.

“In this context, we also observe that right to education means right to health and hygiene, drinking water, fire safety, building safety and transport precautions in the school as well. It also includes adequate facilities for providing recreation, physical education, conduct of various activities and programmes for the cultural and moral development of children,” the bench added.

Based on this, the bench suo motu impleaded the School Education Department secretary, and directed him to respond on the issue by July 22.

The interim order was based on a public interest litigation moved by a practicing Advocate, who has two school-going girl children.

Citing newspaper reports, the petitioner submitted that a school van driver and cleaner were arrested for sexually assaulting a four year-old-girl in the bus near Mettupalayam on January 29. He also cited another incident on October 27, 2018, in Greater Noida, wherein a three-year-old girl student of a private school was sexually assaulted inside the bus and threatened with dire consequences.

Hence, installation of CCTV Camera with GPS would ensure monitoring of the movement of the school bus through an official website by the parents, which would ensure the safety of school going children, he said inhis petition.