India, June 28 -- Holding that the neighbourhood requirement under the Right to Education (RTE) Act is an essential eligibility condition and not "an empty formality," the Bombay High Court on Friday upheld the rejection of a Pune boy's admission under the 25% RTE quota over discrepancies in his residential address.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad observed on Friday that the residential requirement "is not an empty formality" and cannot be diluted without satisfactory proof.

The petition was filed by Sandeep Sathe after his son was denied admission to Podar International School in Wagholi under the RTE quota.

"Diluting or overlooking such a requirement in the absence of satisfactory pro...