Justice Datta Expresses Concerns Over Aligarh Muslim University's minority status verdict

In a rare criticism by a senior judge of fellow judges and the judicial process, Justice Datta has come out against the internal working of the Supreme Court that led to the 4:3 verdict granting minority status to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The decision, passed on the final working day of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has left many questioning the judicial consensus behind it.

Justice Datta voiced concerns over the lack of engagement among the seven judges after the February hearing, terming it a "meeting of minds." He also criticized the decision to revisit the AMU issue, which has been ongoing since 1951, as a waste of judicial resources. According to Justice Datta, the case should have been decided without needing a larger bench. The judge has stressed that AMU does not meet the criteria to be classified as a minority institution under Article 30(1), as it was neither established nor administered by a religious minority group.

Dissenting judges, on the other hand, have noted AMU's historical and cultural significance, with senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi praising the university's inclusivity and history. Despite previous predecessor rules stating AMU cannot claim minority status, the current verdict considers the incorporation by imperial legislation as a possible indicator of minority status. Judges are split over the issue, with one of them arguing that AMU's actual point of origin, as a Muslim institution, should be evaluated in a more nuanced manner.

The split verdict will likely mean that the minority status question remains unresolved, leaving institutions like AMU without clarity on how it can be regulated. Justice Datta's criticism sheds light on the internal workings of the judicial process, sparking debates on judicial efficiency and the scrutiny needed for landmark decisions.