New Delhi, Sep 21 : The Delhi High Court has directed that the services of professionals engaged as fellows with the Delhi Assembly Research Centre, whose contracts were terminated by the Assembly Secretariat, shall continue in their positions until December 6, and stipends shall be paid to them. This comes in response to a petition by 17 such Fellows who challenged the termination of their contracts. Justice Subramonium Prasad sought explanations from the Delhi legislative assembly secretariat, services, and finance departments regarding the termination of the fellows' contracts. The court noted that the Assembly Speaker had previously stated that the reasons for termination did not apply to the petitioners' services and sought clarification on the change in the stand. The petitioners had contended that their services were terminated prematurely, arbitrarily, and illegally after a letter issued by the services department on July 5, and they were not paid their stipends. They argued that this violated their fundamental rights and the doctrine of separation of powers, as they were engaged at the Delhi Assembly Research Centre, which operates under the legislative assembly and the Speaker's authority. The court has directed that the services of the petitioners be maintained until the next date of hearing on December 6 and that replies be filed within two weeks. /IANS