Kochi: The Kerala High Court has stayed the direction of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights, banning private tuition centers and parallel colleges from taking night classes. However, the restriction on tours organised by such institutions will continue to be in effect.

Justice T R Ravi issued the order while considering the petition of J K Sujesh, General Secretary of the Welfare Organisation for Tutorials and Teachers, seeking to set aside the direction of the commission.

Earlier, his lawyer, Adv Shyam J, argued that the night classes for students are conducted with the permission of their guardians. The commission's direction will amount to the denial of the right of children to study for more time and achieve higher success. Even religious and youth organizations and clubs conduct excursions, he argued.

The petition further pointed out that the Commission is empowered only to submit recommendations to the government and that it did not hear their arguments in the matter. The court accepted the petition for hearing and issued a notice to the opposition parties.