St. Edmunds School and Anr v. State of Meghalaya and Anr

HIGH COURT OF MEGHALAYA AT SHILLONG

WA No.22/2026 Date of Order: 09.06.2026

¶1St. Edmund's School, Laitumkhrah, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya Shillong-793003.

¶2The Principal, St. Edmund's School, Laitumkhrah, Shillong, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya. ..... Appellants

Vs.

¶1State of Meghalaya, represented by the Secretary to the Govt. of Meghalaya, Education Department, Shillong.

¶2Smti. Deepali Patel ..... Respondents Coram:

Hon'ble Mrs. Justice Revati Mohite Dere, Chief Justice

Hon'ble Mr. Justice B. Bhattacharjee, Judge

Appearance: For the Appellants :

Mr. K. Paul, Sr.Adv with

Mr. S. Chanda, Adv

For the Respondents : Mrs. T. Yangi B., AAG with

Ms. R. Colney, GA

Mr. S. Deb, Adv for R/2

JUDGMENT: (per the Hon'ble, the Chief Justice): (Oral)

The matter was kept today to enable the parties to draw minutes of the order. Although, learned counsel for the respective parties have tendered minutes of the order, we deem it appropriate to pass an order not in terms of the minutes of the order but as an order of the Court. Serial No.01 Supplementary List

¶2By this appeal, the appellants have impugned the judgment and order dated 22nd May, 2026, passed by the learned Single Judge in WP (C) No.84 of 2026, by which the learned Single Judge has set aside the impugned action of the appellant and allowed the writ petition filed by the respondent No.2 and as such, quashed and set aside the forfeiture/cancellation of the respondent No.2's son admission in KG for the session 2026.

¶3Being aggrieved by the said judgment and order, the appellants have preferred the aforesaid appeal. During the pendency of the aforesaid appeal, the parties have amicably resolved their disputes/issues inter se between them.

¶4It appears and which fact is not disputed that pursuant to the amicable solution, the child i.e., respondent's No.2 son has been admitted by the appellants, as a regular student of St. Edmund's School, Shillong from 8th June, 2026. The said gesture shown by the appellants' school has been appreciated by the respondent No.2 parents. The parents in view of the amicable settlement have tendered an unconditional apology to the school authorities and have undertaken to remove all social media posts

uploaded by them forthwith with an assurance that no further postings/comments etc. in this connection will be made i.e., the subject matter of this appeal. The respondent parents have also assured to take steps to request the concerned news agencies etc. to remove and take down all publications in connection with this incident/subject matter, keeping in mind the larger interest of the child.

¶5Learned Senior Counsel appearing for the appellants on instruction has also assured that the child so admitted and his parents shall be treated like any other students/parents. Learned Senior Counsel further submits on instruction that although the child has not attended the school since commencement of the school, the same shall not be an impediment for promotion of the child to the next standard i.e., Standard-1.

¶6In view of the amicable settlement between the parties and without going into the merits of the impugned judgment and order of the learned Single Judge, the said judgment and order dated 22nd May, 2026, passed in WP (C) No.84 of 2026, stands quashed and set aside. Needless to state that, with respect to the

subject petition, legal proceedings initiated by the respective parties, if any, shall be withdrawn by the respective parties.

¶7Considering the nature of dispute and since a young child aged five years is involved in the same, we deem it appropriate to direct the Registry that all records, including YouTube proceedings of this Court channel, if so recorded may be kept confidential and shall not be made available for public dissemination, keeping in mind the larger interest and paramount welfare of the child.

¶8The appeal is allowed and disposed of on the aforesaid terms.

¶9All parties to act on the authenticated copy of this order.

(B. Bhattacharjee) (Revati Mohite Dere) Judge Chief Justice

Meghalaya

09.06.2026 "Lam DR-PS" Date: 2026.06.09 18:34:37 IST