Prayagraj— The Allahabad High Court on Saturday dismissed a writ petition challenging the selection of Dr Naima Khatoon as Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), clearing the way for her to continue as the institution’s first woman VC, reported the Madhyamam.
A division bench of Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Donadi Ramesh rejected accusations of procedural irregularities raised by petitioner Prof Mujahid Beg. Beg had argued that Khatoon’s husband, Prof Mohammad Gulrez—who was acting VC at the time—improperly presided over meetings of the Executive Council and University Court that shortlisted candidates on 30 October 2023.
While the bench acknowledged that Prof Gulrez “ought not to have presided” at those meetings, it held that his participation did not invalidate the process because both bodies play only a recommendatory role; the final appointment rests with the Visitor of the university, the President of India. “Merely because her husband was acting vice-chancellor… cannot be a ground to interfere with her appointment,” the order stated.
The court also dismissed concerns over the last-minute replacement of an Executive Council member, calling the change “not decisive.”
Dr Khatoon, a senior psychologist and former dean of AMU’s Faculty of Social Sciences, was appointed VC in April after presidential assent. She is the first woman to head the 103-year-old central university.
The judgment, reserved on 9 April, ends months of speculation around her tenure. University officials welcomed the ruling, saying it would allow AMU to “move forward with its academic agenda.”
