Fri Nov 08 08:05:10 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Reopens Debate on Aligarh Muslim University’s Minority Status
**New Delhi:** In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on Friday overturned its 1967 ruling on the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), leaving the matter open for further scrutiny.
A seven-judge bench, in a 4-3 majority decision, ruled that AMU’s minority status will now be determined by who established the institution and its original founders. The court has formed a three-judge committee to reassess AMU’s minority status.
The court stated that if the committee finds that the institution was established by a minority community, it would be eligible for minority status under Article 30 of the Constitution. This ruling has significant implications for AMU, which has long claimed minority status.
Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Mishra were in favor of the new assessment, while Justices Surya Kant, Deepak Gupta, and S. Chandra Sharma dissented.
The court’s decision effectively overturns its 1967 verdict in the case of Aziz Basha vs. Union of India. While recognizing the importance of minority rights, the court emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of AMU’s founding principles and the role of minority communities in its establishment.
This latest development puts the future of AMU’s minority status in a state of flux. The three-judge committee will now have the task of determining whether the institution, established in 1920, was indeed founded by a minority community. The outcome of this investigation will significantly impact AMU’s future, particularly concerning its admission policies and the rights of other communities seeking access to education within the institution.
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