Sat Nov 09 08:18:21 UTC 2024: ## Supreme Court Refers Aligarh Muslim University Minority Status Case to a Larger Bench
**New Delhi, November 8th, 2024:** The Supreme Court of India has delivered a crucial decision regarding the minority status of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). A seven-judge Constitution bench, by a majority of 4-3, overturned a 1967 Supreme Court judgment that had denied minority status to AMU. However, the court has now referred the case to a new three-judge regular bench to determine whether AMU qualifies for minority status.
The 1967 judgment had deemed AMU ineligible for minority status as it was established under the 1920 AMU Act. This judgment was overruled by the current bench, opening the path for AMU to potentially reclaim its minority status. The majority judgment, authored by Chief Justice Chandrachud, highlighted that a minority institution does not necessarily need to be managed solely by minority members, but the institution’s founding principles and objectives should reflect the interests of the minority community.
The three judges who disagreed with the majority opinion penned separate judgments. The new three-judge bench will now consider the complete guidelines of the minority status, including the university’s history, establishment, and administrative practices. This includes assessing whether the institution was indeed established by a minority community and whether it adheres to the principles of promoting its interests.
This decision brings some relief to the AMU community and its students. While the final verdict on minority status is yet to be decided, the existing educational and administrative processes at AMU will remain unchanged.
The Supreme Court’s decision has sparked discussions around the legal definitions of minority institutions and the criteria for granting such status. The upcoming judgment from the three-judge bench will be closely watched as it could have significant implications for other minority educational institutions in India.
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