Plea against Aligarh Muslim University centres dismissed

ALIGARH - The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a writ petition against the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) decision to set up two new centres at Malappuram in Kerala and Murshidabad in West Bengal, a varsity official said Friday.

“The division bench of the Allahabad High Court, comprising Chief Justice F.I. Rebello and Justice A.P. Sahi, Thursday held that there was nothing wrong in establishing the centres of the AMU when the same was duly approved by the president of India in her capacity as the visitor of the university,” official spokesperson of AMU Rahat Abrar told reporters here.

Z.K. Faizan, former president of AMU students’ union, filed a public interest litigation, seeking stay on the university’s decision to start the new centres. He claimed the AMU Act did not have any provisions which enabled the varsity to open any centres outside Aligarh.

“Counsel representing the university argued that prior to issuance of order sanctioning the new centres by the president of India, thorough examination of reports related to the project was made by the authorities and the same cannot be challenged merely on someone’s apprehensions,” Abrar said.

The university has also decided to establish centres in Pune, Kishanganj in Bihar and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

The central government had sanctioned Rs.25 crore each for the Malappuram and Murshidabad centres.