Allahabad High Court

Om Singh vs State Of U.P. And 3 Others on 18 February, 2025

Author: Saurabh Shyam Shamshery

Bench: Saurabh Shyam Shamshery





HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
 
 


Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:22754
 
Judgment Reserved on 5.2.2025
 
Delivered on 18.2.2025
 
Court No. - 10
 

 
Case :- WRIT - C No. - 35072 of 2017
 

 
Petitioner :- Om Singh
 
Respondent :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others
 
Counsel for Petitioner :- Ashutosh Mani Tripathi,Birendra Prasad Maurya,Daya Shanker Mani Tripahti,Hritudhwaj Pratap Sahi,Vijay Kumar Singh(Senior Adv.)
 
Counsel for Respondent :- A.S.G.I.,Bheem Singh,C.S.C.,V.R.Pal
 

 
Hon'ble Saurabh Shyam Shamshery,J.

1. Heard Sri Birendra Prasad Maurya, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri Satya Prakash Singh, learned counsel for the respondent no.4.

2. In this writ petition, petitioner who was working as a Principal in the respondent Jain Inter College, Jevar Gautam Budh Nagar has challenged its minority status i.e. a Certificate dated 5.10.2016 issued by the Secretary National Commission of Minority Educational Institution, (Respondent No.2).

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has referred following grounds taken in the writ petition to challenge minority status of the respondent college:

"A. Because the institution was not established by minority community nor was it being run and managed by a minority community.

B. Because in the Memorandum of Association there is no whisper that the institution is being established by a minority community and for the upliftment of a particular minority community.

C. Because the bye-laws and the Memorandum of Association it has not been provided that the institution is strictly being administered by the minority community inasmuch as under the bye-laws anybody can become member of the society.

D. Because the Commission has not recorded any reason while granting the minority status to the present institution in question by means of the impugned order/certificate."

4. In support of his submission, the learned counsel for petitioner has referred judgments of this Court passed in Writ-C No. 34881 of 2011, Dr Madan Kumar Bansal Vs. Union of India & Ors, decided on 4.7.2013 and Suraj Bhan Vs. Dr Madan Kumar Bansal 2015 (11) ADJ 98 (DB).

5. Aforesaid submissions are opposed by learned counsel appearing on behalf of Committee of Management of the College, (respondent no.4) and he referred the impugned certificate that it was issued after taking note of Memorandum of Association and has assigned reasons that the institution in question was established with a main object of subserving the interest of Jain Community. Learned counsel also submitted that by a notification dated 27.01.2014, Ministry of Minority Affairs has notified 'Jain Community' as a minority community.

6. In order to appreciate rival submissions, I have perused the Memorandum of Association and its Regulations that its members are mainly from the Jain Community and its objects are mentioned hereinafter, which includes to encourage Jain teachings also:

"1- जैन संस्कृति के अनुसार दार्शनिक, नैतिक सामाजिक एवं साहित्यिक, वैज्ञानिक शिक्षा की व्यवस्था करना।

2- मानसिक विकास हेतु आवश्यक शिक्षा संस्थायें पुस्तकालय, अध्ययन कक्ष, एवं वाचनालय स्थापित करना।

3- शारीरिक विकाशार्थ व्यायामशाला, क्रीड़ास्थल तथा स्वास्थ्य संवर्धन हेतु चिकित्सालय की व्यवस्था करना।

4- जीवन यापन के हेतु आर्थिक संसाधनों के रूपमें कृषि, वाणिज्य, हस्तशिल्प, औद्योगिक, सैनिक एवं तकनीकी शिक्षा की व्यवस्था करना।

5- चरित्र निर्माण की ओर विशेष ध्यान देते हुये छात्रों को आदर्श नागरिक बनाने की दिशा में प्रयत्नशील रहना तथा इस संबंध में विचार गोष्ठी, सन्त, विद्वान, विचारकों, मनीषियों के व्याखान आयोजित करना।

6- मानवतावाद की स्थापना हेतु विश्व बंधुत्व अपरिग्रह एवं स्यादवाद दर्शन के अध्ययनार्थ शोध पीठ एवं अनुसंधानशाला स्थापित करना तथा सामाजिक उत्सव एवं सार्वजनिक समारोह आयोजित करना।

7- उच्च शिक्षा की व्यवस्था करना व छात्रावास का निर्माण, उनका संचालन तथा प्रशासन करना।

8- जाति, वर्ण, वर्ग, भाषा तथा अन्य किसी भेदभाव के बिना प्रत्येक व्यक्ति को समान रूप से अध्ययन तथा अध्यापन का अवसर देना।

9- उपरोक्त उद्देश्यों से निकटतम सम्बन्धित अन्य संस्थाओं से सहयोग करना, उन्हें अने में मिलाना एवं समन्वय स्थापित करना।

10- निर्धन एवं अनाथ छात्रों की निशुल्क शिक्षा व्यवस्था करना।

11- जैन समाज, जेवर ने अपनी समस्त चलाचल सम्पत्ति इस परिषद को समर्पित की है इससे संबंधित अधिकार, दायित्व एवं कर्तव्यों का पालन करना।"

7. The area of work is also concentrated on Jain culture and for reference same is mentioned hereinafter:

"1-जैन संस्कृति के अनुसार दार्शनिक, नैतिक, सामाजिक एवं साहित्यिक, वैज्ञानिक शिक्षा की व्यवस्था करना।

2-मानसिक विकास हेतु आवश्यक शिक्षा संस्थायें, पुस्तकालय, अध्ययन कक्ष एवं वाचनालय स्थापित करना।

3-शारीरिक विकासार्थ, व्यायामशाला, क्रीडास्थल तथा स्वास्थ्य संवर्धन हेतु चिकित्सालय की व्यवस्था करना।

4-जीवन यापन के हेतु आर्थिक संसाधनों के रूप में कृषि, वाणिज्य, हस्त शिल्प, औद्योगिक, सैनिक एवं तकनीकी शिक्षा की व्यवस्था करना।

5-चरित्र निर्माण की ओर विशेष ध्यान देते हुए छात्रों को आदर्श नागरिक बनाने की दिशा में प्रवाचशील रहना तथा इस संबंध में विचार गोष्ठी, संत विद्वान, विचारकों, मनीषियों के व्याख्यान आयोजित करना।

6 मानवतावाद की स्थापना हेतु विश्व बन्धुत्व अपरिग्रह एवं स्यादवाद दर्शन के अध्ययनार्थ शोध पीठ एवं अनुसंधानशाला स्थापित करना तथा सामाजिक सत्सव एवं सार्वजनिक समारोह आयोजित करना।

7-उच्च शिक्षा की व्यवस्था करना व छात्रावास का निर्माण, उनका संचालन तथा प्रशासन करना।

8-जाति; वर्ण, वर्ग, भाषा तथा अन्य किसी भेदभाव के बिना प्रत्येक व्यक्ति को समान रूप से अध्ययन तथा अध्यापन का अवसर देना।

9-उपरोक्त उद्देश्शों से निकटतम संबंधित अन्य संस्थाओं से सहयोग करना उन्हें अपने में मिलाना एवं समन्वय स्थापित करना।

10- निर्धन एवं अनाथ छात्रो की निःशुल्क शिक्षा व्यवस्था करना।

11- जैन समाज, जेवर ने अपनी समस्त चलाचल सम्पत्ति इस परिषद में समर्पित की है। इससे संबंधित अधिकार, दायित्व एवं कर्तव्यों का पालन करना।

12- जैन समुदाय के छात्र/छात्राओं की शिक्षा एवं सामान्यतः जन साधारण के बच्चों की शिक्षा के लिए शिक्षण संस्था स्थापित करना।"

8. As referred above, institution in question is established by a minority community and is runned by them also. Object of the society is to encourage teaching of Jain community and it does not bar other students to get admission, therefore, the reasons assigned while granting certificate that the amended Memorandum of Association of the society clearly reflects that beneficiary of the petitioner institution are the members of Jain community as well as that the institution in question was established with the object to subserve the interest of Jain community are based on material.

9. It would be relevant to quote para 135 of Majority view in Aligarh Muslim University Vs. Naresh Agarwal, 2024 INSC 856 -:

"136. The second indicia is the purpose for which the educational institution was established. Though it is not necessary that the educational institution must have been established only for the benefit of a religious or linguistic minority community, it must predominantly be for its benefit. It is not necessary that education must be provided in the language spoken by the minority or on the religion of the minority. For example, it is not necessary that an educational institution established for the Tamils in Uttar Pradesh must necessarily prescribe Tamil as the language of instruction. However, it must be proved that the institution was established for the benefit of the tamil-speaking community. This indicia could be proved by a reference to private communication or speeches about the necessity of establishing an educational institution for the community and a recognition of the educational difficulties faced by the community."

10. Aforesaid reasons are based on basis of records and there was no document on record, which could contradict it, as well as above position of law also offers minority status of the respondent College institution, therefore, there is no reason to interfere with the grant of certificate of minority status to the respondent institution.

11. Writ petition is accordingly dismissed.

Order Date: 18.2.2025