Uttarakhand HC Rules on Madrassa Registration

The Uttarakhand High Court clarified that unregistered madrassas can't offer religious education or 'namaz'. This arose from a PIL after several madrassas were sealed. Petitioners claimed delays in registration, while the government argued they operated illegally without approval, specifying no registered madrassas were affected.

The Uttarakhand High Court has issued a ruling that unregistered or unrecognised madrassas are prohibited from imparting religious education or allowing the offering of 'namaz'.

Justice Ravindra Maithani made these remarks during a hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) brought forth by various madrassas and educational trusts from Haridwar. The institutions claimed that authorities had sealed them without following due process, despite their pending registration applications.

The state government countered that the madrassas in question were operating illegally as they lacked proper registration and were conducting unauthorized religious and educational activities. They clarified that the sealed institutions were managed by private individuals and affirmed that registered madrassas remained unaffected, with no disruptions in their funding.

(With inputs from agencies.)