In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India, by a narrow 4:3 majority, overturned its 1967 decision that denied Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) the status of a minority institution. This significant judgment revisits the precedent set in the case of *Azeez Basha vs Union Of India*, where the court previously determined that AMU, established through the Aligarh Muslim University Act of 1920 under imperial British legislation, did not qualify for minority status. The issue of whether AMU can now be recognized as a minority institution will be further examined by a designated three-judge bench, indicating the court's intention to undertake a deeper, more focused review of this matter.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, who authored the majority opinion and delivered this landmark decision on his last working day, was joined by Justices Sanjiv Khanna, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra. Their ruling allows for the potential re-evaluation of AMU’s status under the law, recognizing that the minority character of educational institutions can have broader implications for the rights of minority communities under India's Constitution. The three dissenting justices—Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and SC Sharma—opposed this majority view, standing by the 1967 interpretation that did not permit AMU to claim minority status.
This decision arrives after years of legal battles and heated debates, rooted in a 2006 Allahabad High Court ruling that similarly denied AMU minority status, sparking ongoing disputes about the institution's founding vision and purpose. The upcoming review by the three-judge bench will center on whether AMU, as an educational institution with historical significance to the Muslim community in India, meets the constitutional criteria for minority status, which carries implications for its administrative autonomy and affirmative rights for its community members.
As India’s apex court reopens this complex issue, the ruling underscores the Supreme Court's evolving approach to minority rights within the framework of the Constitution and the importance of historical context in assessing institutional identity. The final outcome could potentially reshape the legal landscape for educational institutions with community affiliations, influencing their governance, admission policies, and alignment with India's secular principles.
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