On Friday, the Bombay High Court granted interim relief to over 500 private unaided and minority schools in Maharashtra, staying the state government's orders to deploy teachers for Census 2027 duties. The court ruled that the provisions of the Census Act do not apply to teachers in these institutions, as they are not classified as 'local authority.' The petitioners argued that the compulsory requisition of teachers violated their fundamental rights and would severely disrupt educational activities. Notices from the government had threatened coercive action against schools that did not comply, leading to unilateral appointments of teachers as enumerators or supervisors without the schools' consent. Senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond highlighted that requisitioning nearly all teaching staff would render schools incapable of functioning effectively, potentially leading to closures. The court's decision emphasized the importance of uninterrupted education for students and noted that the Right to Education Act does not provide the state with the authority to compel teachers for non-educational duties without specific provisions in the Census Act. As a result, the court stayed the implementation of the government's orders.