Paying your child’s fees is not charity, Bombay HC tells dad

Mumbai: The Bombay high court recently pulled up a man who refused the admission of his minor son in a school that’s near to her estranged wife’s house. When the husband stated the reason to be him paying the child’s school fees since day one, the court said that he wasn’t doing any charity by paying his own son’s school fees.

A division bench of Justices Rajendra Savant and Sadhana Jadhav was hearing an application moved by the child’s mother Sangita (name changed) who had sought specific directions for her husband Sandesh (name changed).

According to the application, after the divorce, Sangita lives in Kandivali with her son Sachin (name changed). She informed the court that her son has to go every day from Kandivali to Santa Cruz (east) in an over-crowded bus. She said, “My son, Sachin is forced to travel for more than four hours between his school and home, every day. Keeping his hectic and tiring journey in mind, I want him to get admitted in a school that’s just five minutes away from our house.

But, his father is opposing it. He has refused to sign the old school’s leaving certificate.”

After hearing the mother’s plea, Justice Savant said, “A school near the child’s residence is preferable as the minor shouldn’t travel so much. We hope the father’s wisdom would prevail and he would sign the required documents.”

The lawyer appearing for the father told the court that his client was opposing the new admission as he has been paying the child’s school fees since day one.

Irked by this, the court said, “Let us clarify something — you are not doing any favour or charity. A father has to look after the needs of his child. You must be proactive and take an initiative in signing the documents for the child.”

“Disputes between the couple should not affect the well-being of the child. We expect the father to sign the documents before the next date of the hearing,” the court said.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 12.