New Delhi: The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Law, overturning the Allahabad High Court’s decision that had declared the law unconstitutional. The law was struck down by the High Court on March 22, which ruled that the law violated the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud reviewed appeals against the High Court’s ruling.
The Supreme Court noted that the High Court’s decision to annul the law on the grounds that it violated secularism was incorrect. The Court stated that laws cannot be struck down solely based on the allegation that they are contrary to secularism as part of the Constitution’s basic structure. When claiming that a law goes against secularism, it is necessary to precisely analyze how the provisions of the law infringe upon the constitutional provisions related to secularism, the Court observed in its judgment.
At the same time, the Supreme Court ruled that the provisions of the Madrasa Education Law allowing the Madrasa Board to confer higher education degrees were unconstitutional because they were contrary to the UGC (University Grants Commission) Act. The Court also stated that the Madrasa Board did not have the authority to issue degree certificates like the Kamil or Fadil degrees. The Court emphasized that the power of minorities to run educational institutions is not absolute and that governments have the authority to intervene to ensure the quality of education provided in these institutions. Thousands of students and teachers were facing uncertainty after the Allahabad High Court’s verdict. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which had supported the High Court’s decision, was sharply criticized by the Supreme Court in its ruling.
