The Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board has announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court against the recent judgment of the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench, which declared the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Act of 2004 unconstitutional. The court had found the act in violation of the principles of secularism. Following this verdict, the Madrasa Board, under the guidance of the Uttar Pradesh government, is set to file a petition in the Supreme Court.
Dr. Iftekhar Ahmad Javed, Chairman of the Board, expressed surprise at the High Court’s decision and hinted at a possible oversight in conveying the board’s standpoint to the court effectively. The Board will soon review the entire order in detail and submit its recommendations to the UP government for further action.
The decision in question was delivered by a division bench comprising Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Subhash Vidyarthi. The bench also directed the UP government to devise a plan to integrate students of various Madrasas into the formal education system.
Also Read
The challenge to the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Board Act 2004 was brought to the court by Anshuman Singh Rathore. The petition questioned the constitutionality of the UP Madrasa Board and the rationale behind the management of Madrasas by the Minority Welfare Department at the central and state government levels.
The High Court’s ruling has elicited objections from several minority organizations. In response, the Chairman of the Board stated that after receiving a detailed copy of the order, they would consult with legal experts before deciding to approach the Supreme Court.
