On Friday, the Supreme Court temporarily halted an Allahabad High Court order that had deemed the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarasa Education Act, 2004, as “unconstitutional” and against secular principles.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud issued notices to the Centre, Uttar Pradesh government, and others regarding challenges to the high court’s decision.

The Supreme Court stated that the purpose of the Madarasa board is primarily regulatory and disagreed with the Allahabad High Court’s opinion that its establishment would compromise secularism. Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra were also on the bench.

The Supreme Court argued that the provisions of the 2004 act don’t entail religious instruction, emphasizing its regulatory nature.

Earlier, on March 22, the high court had ruled the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarasa Education Act, 2004, as “unconstitutional” and not in line with secular principles, directing the state government to integrate current madarasa students into the formal schooling system.

This ruling followed a writ petition filed by advocate Anshuman Singh Rathore, who contested the constitutionality of the UP Madarsa Board and criticized the management of madarsas by the Minority Welfare Department instead of the education department.

Source: PTI

Also read: Allahabad High Court rules UP Madarsa Education Act 2004 unconstitutional