Allahabad HC Directs Authorities to Decide on NEET Candidate's Refund Application for Rs. 2 Lakh Security Deposit

Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench), in Talha Khan vs. State of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Medical Edu. Lko & Ors., directed the Director General of Medical Education and Training, U.P., to resolve the petitioner's application for a refund of a Rs. 2,00,000/- security deposit. The petitioner had participated in the NEET (UG) counseling for the academic session 2022-23 but was not allocated any institution, leading to the claim for a refund.

The petitioner, Talha Khan, had deposited Rs. 2,00,000/- as a security amount for participating in the NEET (UG) counseling for the academic session 2022-23. Despite not being allocated any institution, his repeated representations for a refund were ignored. The petitioner filed a writ petition seeking a court directive to the authorities to refund the security deposit.

The core issue revolved around the failure of the respondent authorities to address the petitioner's application for a refund of the security deposit. The petitioner had not been allocated any institution in the counseling process, yet his security deposit remained unreturned. The court noted that the respondents had no objection to the request for a decision on the refund application.

The court did not delve into the merits of the case but directed the respondent authorities to resolve the petitioner's refund claim promptly. Justice Alok Mathur ordered the Director General, Medical Education and Training, U.P., to decide the petitioner's representation dated August 3, 2023, within six weeks and communicate the decision to the petitioner.

The court's order ensures that the petitioner's long-pending request for a refund will be addressed promptly. The decision underscores the court's role in enforcing procedural fairness in cases involving delays in administrative actions.

Date of Decision: September 17, 2024

Talha Khan vs. State of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Medical Edu. Lko & Ors