W.P.No.21240 of 2026 — High Court of Judicature at Madras Case Reserved for Orders after Two-Hour Hearing Date: 24 June 2026 THE CASE AT A GLANCE The All India Private Educational Institutions Association (AIPEIA) had filed W.P.No.21240 of 2026 before the Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at Madras, challenging an order passed by the Tamil Nadu Information Commission (TNIC) and a consequential circular issued by the Director of Private Schools, which sought to compel all private schools across Tamil Nadu — including CBSE, ICSE, and Matriculation institutions — to publicly display their fee structures on notice boards, websites, and admission forms. THE IMPUGNED ORDERS

[24/06, 12:59] sekarreporter1: [24/06, 12:58] sekarreporter1: http://youtube.com/post/UgkxDuB_pTA3kSA9TzxFAPBiBNNQWrs8lwY1?si=VXAeJrVJFtXCLk5s
[24/06, 12:58] sekarreporter1: ALL INDIA PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ASSOCIATION
(AIPEIA)
No. 5, M.P. Avenue, Majestic Colony, Saligramam, Chennai – 600 093

PRESS NOTE
W.P.No.21240 of 2026 — High Court of Judicature at Madras
Case Reserved for Orders after Two-Hour Hearing
Date: 24 June 2026

THE CASE AT A GLANCE
The All India Private Educational Institutions Association (AIPEIA) had filed W.P.No.21240 of 2026 before the Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at Madras, challenging an order passed by the Tamil Nadu Information Commission (TNIC) and a consequential circular issued by the Director of Private Schools, which sought to compel all private schools across Tamil Nadu — including CBSE, ICSE, and Matriculation institutions — to publicly display their fee structures on notice boards, websites, and admission forms.
THE IMPUGNED ORDERS
• Order dated 25.05.2026 of the Tamil Nadu Information Commission (TNIC) in Case Nos. SA4827/A/2023 & SA17794/A/2023 — directing mandatory statewide fee disclosure, appointing the Director of Private Schools as Public Information Officer, and imposing penalty proceedings.
• Circular Proc.No.Na.Ka.No. 04303/ந_2/2026 dated 01.06.2026 issued by the Director of Private Schools — directing all private schools to display fee structures by 05.06.2026 with a peremptory four-day deadline.

THE CORE GRIEVANCE
The TNIC’s order and the Director’s circular were passed without jurisdiction, without statutory authority, and without any notice or hearing to the thousands of private schools whose rights were directly affected. AIPEIA is not challenging any aspect of penalty or compensation imposed on public servants — its challenge is solely directed at the fee-disclosure mandate insofar as it affects private educational institutions.
RELIEF SOUGHT BY THE PETITIONER
• Quashing the TNIC order dated 25.05.2026 as void, without jurisdiction, ultra vires the RTI Act, 2005, and unconstitutional.
• Quashing the Director of Private Schools’ circular dated 01.06.2026 as ultra vires the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2018 and void ab initio.
• A direction restraining all Respondents from implementing, enforcing, or taking any coercive or punitive action against any private school pursuant to the impugned orders.

TODAY’S HEARING — 24.06.2026
Today, the matter came up for hearing before the Hon’ble Mr. Justice M. Dhandapani. The case was argued in detail for over two hours. Mr. E. Vijay Anand, Advocate, appeared and argued for the Petitioner (AIPEIA). Mr. Gowthaman, the learned Additional Advocate General, appeared and argued for the Respondents (State of Tamil Nadu / Director of Private Schools / Tamil Nadu Information Commission).
After detailed and extensive arguments on both sides spanning more than two hours, the Hon’ble Court has been pleased to RESERVE the case for orders.
AIPEIA is confident in the strength of its legal position and awaits the outcome with full confidence in the Hon’ble Court. The Association reaffirms its commitment to protecting the statutory and constitutional rights of all private educational institutions in Tamil Nadu.

For All India Private Educational Institutions Association
K. Palaniyappan
State General Secretary
Chennai | 24.06.2026
ALL INDIA PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ASSOCIATION
(AIPEIA)
No. 5, M.P. Avenue, Majestic Colony, Saligramam, Chennai – 600 093

To
All Member Institutions of AIPEIA
(Across Tamil Nadu)
Date: 24.06.2026
Sub: Important Legal Update — W.P.No.21240 of 2026 — RTI Fee Disclosure Case — Case Reserved for Orders
Ref: AIPEIA’s Writ Petition filed on 03.06.2026 before the High Court of Judicature at Madras

Dear Members,
We are pleased to inform you of a significant development in the above-referenced case, which directly concerns the rights and interests of all private educational institutions in Tamil Nadu.
BACKGROUND — WHAT THIS CASE IS ABOUT
Your Association (AIPEIA) had filed a Writ Petition in the Madras High Court challenging:
• An order dated 25.05.2026 passed by the Tamil Nadu Information Commission (TNIC) — which, acting on an RTI application filed in 2022 about Coimbatore district schools, exceeded its jurisdiction by directing all private schools across Tamil Nadu to publicly display their fee structures on notice boards, school websites, and admission application forms.
• A circular dated 01.06.2026 issued by the Director of Private Schools — which implemented the above order and gave all private schools a mere four-day deadline (by 05.06.2026) to comply.

WHY YOUR ASSOCIATION CHALLENGED THESE ORDERS
• Private unaided schools are NOT ‘public authorities’ under the RTI Act, 2005 — the RTI Act simply does not apply to us.
• The TNIC far exceeded its adjudicatory powers — it converted a narrow case about one RTI application into a sweeping statewide regulatory mandate.
• The Director of Private Schools had no independent statutory power under the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2018 to issue such a mandatory disclosure circular.
• CBSE and ICSE schools are additionally protected by a Supreme Court interim order in SLP(Civil) No.16/2013 — the Impugned Circular attempts to circumvent that order.
• None of the thousands of affected schools were given any notice or opportunity of hearing before these orders were passed — a fundamental violation of natural justice.
• A four-day compliance deadline was physically and operationally impossible — manifestly arbitrary and violating Article 14 of the Constitution.

NOTE: AIPEIA is NOT challenging any penalty or compensation ordered against public servants. Our challenge is solely and exclusively directed at the compulsory fee-disclosure mandate imposed on private schools.
TODAY’S DEVELOPMENT — 24.06.2026
The case came up for hearing today before the Hon’ble Mr. Justice M. Dhandapani. Arguments were advanced in great detail for more than two hours:
• Mr. E. Vijay Anand, Advocate, advanced comprehensive arguments on behalf of AIPEIA and all private schools.
• Mr. Gowthaman, the learned Additional Advocate General, argued on behalf of the State of Tamil Nadu and the Respondents.
After detailed arguments on both sides, the Hon’ble Court has RESERVED the case for orders. This means the Hon’ble Court will deliver its judgment/order on a future date to be announced.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR SCHOOL
• The case is now at the final stage — before the Court pronounces its order.
• You are NOT required to take any action pursuant to the impugned TNIC order or the Director’s circular until the Court’s order is received. Please await further communication from the Association.
• Please do not panic or act on any communications from district education officials demanding compliance with the impugned circular, without first consulting the Association.

AIPEIA remains fully committed to defending the rights of all member institutions and will communicate the Court’s order to all members immediately upon pronouncement. We thank all member schools for their continued support and trust.
For any queries, please contact the State General Secretary:
K. Palaniyappan | AIPEIA | No. 5, M.P. Avenue, Majestic Colony, Saligramam, Chennai – 600 093

Yours faithfully,
K. Palaniyappan
State General Secretary
All India Private Educational Institutions Association (AIPEIA)
Chennai | 24.06.2026
[24/06, 14:08] sekarreporter1: Justice M. Dhandapani of #MadrasHighCourt reserves orders on a writ petition challenging the insistence that all private unaided schools in the State must display thie fees structure on notice boards. During the course of final hearing of the case, the judge wondered what was the difficulty on the part of the schools in being transparent about their fee structure. Earlier this month, he had refused to grant an interim stay. @THChennai Backgrounder👇
thehindu.com/news/national/…