Bangalore, July 17 - A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Karnataka High Court today seeking a direction to the state government to implement the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

The PIL against state government, the Chief Secretary, Education Secretary, President and Secretary of Karnataka Unaided School Management Association (KUSUMA) accused them of failure to implement the RTE Act despite the Supreme Court in its April 12 order upholding its validity.

Petitioner, Bangalore-based advocate S Vasudeva, also sought a direction from the court to declare as "illegal, unwarranted and impermissible in law" the bandh call given by KUSUMA to 1,800 privately managed schools over the RTE Act.

He contended that the bandh call was a violation of the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21(A) of the Constitution.

"KUSUMA has acted contrary to the rules, in declaring leave for schools throughout the state from July 16 to July 22, in protest against the state government's inaction (over its demand pertaining to determination of the religious and linguistic status of minority institutions)," it said.

Alleging that primary and secondary students had been "held to ransom by KUSUMA", the petitioner sought a writ of mandamus to the government and the Chief Secretary to implement the Supreme Court judgement on RTE Act.

He also sought a direction to the government to initiate disciplinary action against KUSUMA and also to derecognise it its associate member institutions.

The petitioner pleaded for an enquiry into the "non-admission" of SC, ST and other backward class students in KUSUMA member schools and take appropriate acition in accordance with law. PTI