The Bombay High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by a minor student seeking admission under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, holding that authorities were justified in rejecting the application after the family failed to establish genuine residential eligibility. The court said the neighbourhood requirement under the RTE Act is a mandatory condition and cannot be relaxed without satisfactory proof.
Background of the Case
The petition was filed by Manas Sandip Sathe, through his father, challenging the rejection of his application for admission to Podar International School, Wagholi, Pune, for the academic year 2026–27 under the RTE quota.
The family claimed that they had been residing in a flat at Kharadi, Pune, since August 2025 and that the residence was located within approximately 950 metres of the school, making the child eligible under the neighbourhood criteria.
However, the online application was rejected after authorities found the residence proof submitted with the application to be invalid. The petitioner argued that the rejection resulted from an auto-generated Google Maps address mismatch and requested a physical verification of the residence. The appeal before the education authorities was also rejected, following which the matter reached the High Court.
Court Observation
During the hearing, the Division Bench directed the State authorities to physically verify the address mentioned in the admission form while ensuring the petitioner's father remained present with supporting documents.
The inspection reports placed before the court revealed that the premises did not appear to be the family's ordinary residence. Officials found only a single bed on the first floor, while the ground floor was being used as a small eating establishment run by the petitioner's mother.
The Bench also noted significant inconsistencies in the addresses appearing across various documents, including the admission form, leave and licence agreement, Aadhaar cards, and the father's voter identity card.
Observing that the burden to establish residential eligibility rested on the petitioner, the Bench said:
“Mere assertions regarding errors in the auto-generated Google address cannot substitute proof of actual residence.”
The judges further remarked:
“The residential requirement is not an empty formality, but constitutes an essential eligibility condition governing admission under the reserved quota.”
The court added that overlooking such requirements without adequate proof could deprive another genuinely eligible child of admission under the RTE scheme.
Court's Decision
Finding no illegality in the actions of the education authorities, the Bombay High Court held that the petition lacked merit and dismissed it.
The court also declined to award any costs.
Case Details
Case Title: Manas Sandip Sathe v. State of Maharashtra & Others
Case Number: Writ Petition No. 7601 of 2026
Judge: Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Gautam A. Ankhad
Decision Date: 25 June 2026
