The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust’s plea against the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to terminate its lease of land for the Jauhar University in Rampur.
Stating “We will not entertain the petition”, a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra asked the Uttar Pradesh government to take a decision on accommodating 300 students in other educational institutions.
The top court was unmoved even as senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, raised concerns about the future of the students.
The Trust had approached the top court challenging the Allahabad High Court decision upholding the State government’s decision to terminate the lease of land for the Jauhar University.
Calling it an abuse of power by the then chief minister, the high court had noted that the key procedures, policies, and financial aspects had been completely ignored when the lease was granted.
The Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar Trust, headed by Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan, received the land for the university in 2005 for Rs 100 per annum. In January 2023, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled the lease and the institute’s land and building – about 13,000 square metres – was taken back by the state government.
Khan had originally got the land for a research institute during the Samajwadi Party’s reign, with a lease of 33 years with an option to extend it twice.