Supreme Court Verdict: Air Force School Not State-Controlled

The Supreme Court ruled the Air Force School at Bamrauli is not state-controlled, blocking contract employee regularization. The majority agreed with the Allahabad High Court that the school lacks public law status despite partial funding from the Army Welfare Society, dismissing teachers' appeals for termination redress.

The Supreme Court declared the Air Force School at Bamrauli, Allahabad, as not being state-controlled, thereby deciding that its contract employees cannot have their services regularized.

A bench led by Justice Abhay S Oka concluded in a 2:1 verdict that the Allahabad High Court was correct in its findings; the Air Force School does not qualify as a 'state' under Article 12 of the Indian Constitution.

Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah dissented, asserting that the school fulfills a public function and is significantly controlled by the Indian Air Force, yet the majority ruled this was not enough to establish pervasive control and dismissed appeals for employee regularization.

(With inputs from agencies.)