The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today dismissed the leave-to-appeals challenging the High Court’s verdict upholding the cancellation of 169 student admissions to class 1 at Viqarunnisa Noon School & College for the 2024 academic year.

A three-justice bench, led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, delivered the ruling after hearing the appeals.

The admissions were initially cancelled by the school authorities for breaching the age limit policy. The students in question included 10 born in 2015 and 159 born in 2016, who were admitted without adhering to the school’s age criteria.

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Senior lawyers Shah Manjurul Haq and Mustifizur Rahman represented the petitioners, while lawyer Mohammad Rafiul Islam stood for the principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College.

Parents of the affected students filed two separate leave-to-appeals against the High Court’s decision, said Rafiul Islam. However, the Appellate Division dismissed these appeals, meaning the cancellations will remain in effect, he added.

This decision now allows those on the waiting list to secure admission to the 169 vacant seats.

On May 21, the High Court upheld the school’s decision. The ruling was based on a request from the Directorate of Secondary & Higher Education of the Education Ministry, which sought to enforce the age limit policy.

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The High Court’s 29-page decision, released recently, confirmed the legality of the school’s actions. Following this, the parents of the affected students sought to challenge the verdict through leave-to-appeal applications, which have now been dismissed by the Supreme Court.