Shawdesh desk:

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the High Court order on Viqarunnisa Noon School and College authorities to admit 56 students to class 1.

The three-member bench led by chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after rejecting four separate petitions filed by the authorities concerned of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.

Additional attorney general Sheikh Mohammad Morshed stood for Viqarunnisa while senor advocate Prabir Niyogi, Barrister Syed Ahed Raza and Barrister ABM Altaf Hossain represented the students.

Barrister Altaf Hossain said that the number of total petitioners is 56 and their siblings are already studying in Viqarunnisa.

On January 16, the Ministry of Education issued a circular stating that only an additional 5 percent of the total seats in any institution, including the entry class, can be filled with applicants whose siblings are already studying in that institution for the 2023 academic year.

The guardians of 56 students filed separate petitions after failing to enroll their children at the designated school.

Later, the High Court stayed the section 14 of the guidelines for 41 students.

The High Court also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why section 14 of the guidelines should not be declared illegal.

On January 31, the HC directed Viqarunnisa Noon School and College authorities to admit 41 students, siblings of the students who are already studying there, to class 1.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Quader and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order after hearing the writ petition filed by the parents of the 41 students.