India, July 7 -- The Allahabad high court's Lucknow bench on Monday dismissed a petition seeking a stay on the merger of primary schools in Uttar Pradesh. A single judge bench of Justice Pankaj Bhatia completed the two-day hearing on July 4 and reserved the judgement.

A guardian on behalf of 51 students from Sitapur moved the high court against the merger, saying it violated their right to free and compulsory education. The petitioner said the merger will cause difficulties for those who will now have to travel farther to their new schools.

Additional advocate general Anuj Kudesia and chief standing counsel Shailendra Kumar Singh, who appeared for the government, justified the move saying some primary schools had zero and others less th...