SC reserves verdict on pleas against Allahabad HC judgement quashing UP madrasa law

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on pleas challenging the Allahabad High Court judgement, which declared the 2004 Uttar Pradesh law on madrasas as unconstitutional on the ground of it being violative of the principle of secularism. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra heard a battery of lawyers on behalf of eight petitioners besides Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj for the Uttar Pradesh government for almost two days before reserving the verdict.

Commencing the final arguments on the pleas against the verdict, the bench, on Monday heard senior lawyers including Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Salman Khurshid and Menaka Guruswamy for the petitioners.

On Tuesday, the top court also heard senior advocates including Mukul Rohatgi, P Chidambaram and Guru Krishna Kumar for various litigants.

On March 22, the Allahabad High Court had declared the Act as “unconstitutional” and violative of the principle of secularism, and asked the state government to accommodate madrasa students in the formal schooling system.

On April 5, the CJI-led bench had provided a breather to about 17 lakh madrasa students by staying the verdict of the High Court scrapping the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004.

The top court heard about eight petitions, including the lead one filed by Anjum Kadari against the high court verdict.