LUCKNOW, Aug. 21 -- The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday informed the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court that primary schools with more than 50 students and located over one kilometre apart will not be merged.

The assurance came during the hearing of special appeals before the division bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh. The court directed the state to place on record the process of implementing the decision along with the related order and fixed September 1 as the next date of hearing.

The bench also extended till September 1 its earlier interim order of July 24 directing maintenance of the status quo on the merger or pairing of primary schools in Sitapur. Advocate Gaurav Mehrotra, appearing for ...